The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-01-23
CRITIcIsING THE CENSUS.
A Declarations That IL Is q Political
Device In Maryland.

| DGN.cC IN tnn0.
FREDERICK. Md, Jan. 22.-In an in:er-
| view on the subject of an extra session
of the General Assembly, L. Victor
Baughman said today:
Il feel that Governor Smith should have
| the endorsement OF his party on all great
| questions affecting the interests CT the
people and that 1t should not be expected
OF the Governor to attempt to force such
a matter upon the citizens OF the State.
The people always respect man who is
bold enough to advocate what ne thinks
| to be right, and. therefore. II the Demo-
cratic leaders have any good reasons for
| calling an extra session they should be
willing to give them to the public and
thus give the Governor reason to act
even II he Is thoroughly convinced him
self OF the necessity CO ss;:shi step. One
great issue seems to have been over
looked. The apporticnment of represen-
taticn in the House of Delegates is made
either according to the return of each
| national census or upon the basis of an
| enumeration made under the au hority CT
the state An enumeration under the au-
thSrity OF the State Is permitted by Sec
lions 3, 4, and Of Article III CT the State
constitution Unless such an enumera-
ton Is made the national census must
/ govern.
Now it is generally believed that the
census OF 1900 is inaccurate. ft Is at
least singular that there should be pro-
ncunced increase of population in those
counties which are almost certain to re-
turn Republicans TO the House of Dele
gates, while in counties usually Demo-
cratic there has been. with the exception
OF montgomery, no increase at ALL or not
suneient Increase OF population to give
an additional representative II the be-
lief That there are errors in the census
be well founded 1t would be manifestIy
wrong to base the representation upon
the census. and yet this would have to
be done unless the Legislature made pro-
vision for an enumeration under the au-
thority OF the State. But there will be
no regular session of the Legislature I'M
! til after the next election. and at the next
election the apportionment made by the
census would have to be acted on II there
were no intervening legislative session.
There can be no Intervening legislative
action unless an extra session Of the Gen.
eral Assembly be convened. If, then, it
be desirable to shwart an apportionment
founded on an inaccurate census the Leg
islature must be convened so that It may
make provision for an accurate enumer
alton
This would not be calling the LegisIa-
ture together to do something which 1t
ought to nave done. but which 1t failed to
do. at the regular session; but it would be
calling the Legislature together to remedy
an error which no one could reasonably
anticipate would be committed, and which
has arisen since the adjournment of the
regular session. II il be true. as has been
intimated, that the enumeration made by
the census was designedly made TO give
Republicans an advantage in the member
ship of the House to which upon an aecu-
rate count of the population they are not
entitled. there ought to be no hesitation
in defeating the scheme. And as the only
way to defeat the scheme is to substitute
State enumeration for the census and
as that can only be done by the LegisIa-
ture. it necessarily results that there
should be an extra session convened for
the purpose of enacting such legislation
as may be requisite on this subject.
This is a view altogether apart from
and Independent of the suffrage question,
and even though there may be differences
of opinions as to the policy of that meas
ure there can scarcely be q dissent from
the prcpriety OF an Immediate enactment
of appropriate legislation to prevent an
/ improper apportionment Of the member
ship of the House of Delegates