The sun. (Wilmington, Del.) 1897-19??, 1901-02-04
MONDAY FEBRUARY 4, 1901.
DISTRICT REPRESENTATION.

useful lHttHL ODpoSSu " thS 1oNsASeof
idea which probably was to some extent
the motive behind the making of the
district divisions of this State when the
system was adopted.
In discussing this topic we do not in
tend to deny the intent to secure local
representation in the Legislature, and to
prevent the defeat of locally chosen can
didates by the votes of people living in
other districts. That is right principle
and the majority of each district its
own local representative. This does not,
however, i'll any way change the relation
of the Representative to, OF his RESPONSE
blity to the whole State. He has not,
by being the representative of district,
become any less the representative OF the
county in which he lives, or of the State
under whose laws he has been chosen
member of the State Legislature to
make laws equally for all the counties
and all the districts. Neither have these
representatives become less citizens of
the United States by being the legisla-
tive representative of a district of the
State. All the duties of such citizen-
ship. county, State and nation, are still
imposed upon such legislator, and 1t
clearly his duty to so perform those dut-
les so that no one of them shall encroach
upon the other.
This idea of the rights of sections is
exactly that existing between the States
and the national government, and also
existing between citizens-the rights OF
one must stop where the other begins.
This then is the obligation which Sena-
TORS and REPRESENTATIVES, take wnen they
swear to support the constitution of the
State and of the United States. The
obligation is to the State and nation
The district or county in which the
Representative may live and of which
he has become the Representative by
election from it, has only, and can have
only subordinate position or value
What the representative can do for it
what he can rightfully do to repre-
sent the sentiment of the people of that
district must be subordinate to his obi
CATION to support, that is to obey, all the
requirements of the State and Nationa
Constitution. This idea is basic in thu
formation of the government The Con
gressional and Senatorial representative
are not State oflicers-are not elected t,
look after the interests of the State from
which they are chosen, but are eacl
States contribution to the national coun
Gil for national purposes. 1t is the re
lation of these representatives as ma
tional counsellors, the fusing of thei
various opinions in the crucible Of dc
bate that makes national law, operativ
alike over those who assent to it an
those who descent from it; the authorit
coming in all cases from the majorit
assent
1t is impossible, therefore, under an
right appreciation of the duty of
representative, to elect legslatiy
or Congressional representative with pari
mount responsibilities to local col
stituency. Indeed it appears that til
Oitll VI Ollltt uDoh uSSph
ing the duties of such representatives,
intended to impress the idea Of subord
mating local interests and prejudices
the larger interests and the will of il
representatives. There are fifteen repr
sentative districts in New Castle count
and these same districts are representt
by fifteen Representatives and sevt
Senators, the Senatorial districts owe
tapping the Representative districts, b,
in no case can one Representative or oil
Senator be authorized or required to d
feat the will of the others in deferen
to the supposed sentiment of the vote
by whom he was elected. Ii this we
possible legislative body might becon
an aggregation of infusible atoms antag
nistic one to the other, and incapable
doing anything wise or useful. That
the position assumed by the members
our State Legislature, who, ignoring Z
larger and more important expression
the will Of the people in the opinion al
sentiment of a majority of the Rcprese
tatives and Senators elected to make t
Senate and House of the State Legislatu
insist that their little and comparative
unimportant constituency has given th'
arbitrary instructions, and who are
manding to hear from the voters Of thu
districts on the Senatorial quest'
These gentlemen are making the distr
system destroy itself; are making It y
duce destructive discord rather than @
structive amity in party and State Coz
ellis. Senators Knox and Ellison a
REPRESENTATIVES, Clark and Finn are
The representatives of merely of TIN
who voted for them at nomination el
ton. They are the representatives of
the Republicans Of their districts, a
are elected not to defeat but to h
achieve the will of all the Republics
of the State as it should appear in
opinion and judgment of the majority
ali the Republican representatives cho
TO represent all the State.
The instruction and obligation
electing United States Senators does
come from the local districts VIII
Senators Knox and Ellison, or Repres
tatives Clark and Finn represent. II
an obligation Of the constitution OF b
the State and the nation. 1t is an
struction from the whole people in