The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-03-31
BASED ON THE VOTE.

beASEO YIN 1hE NOIE.
If the proposal of the Republicans to
change the congressional representation
as fixed in the constitution is adopted
and the number of votes cast, instead
Of population, is made the basis of rep
resentation, Massachusetts may suffer
more than North Carolina. 1t seems
that while North Carolina Democrats
have been DISTINGUISHING negroes by an
educational qualification. Massachu- cts
Republicans by a similar requirement
have been DISTINGUISHING Irish and
French Canadian factory hands. The
Massachusetts law requires the voter
to read the constitution aloud and write
it down from dictation before he is al
lowed to cast a balboa pretty stir
requirement for one whose life is given
to manual toll, especially. If he was
brought UP in poverty in foreign
cline.
The result of the Massachusetts, law
has been to cut down heavily the popular
vote. at least temporarily until the night
schools in the labor districts repair the
breach. For example, Indiana and Mas
sachusetts have the same representa-
ton in the lower house OF congress,
thirteen members But for president in
1900 Massachusetts, cast only 414,SO votes,
as against 664,O94 for Indiana, difference
of nearly 100000 It is therefore estimat-
ed that the proposed change in the basis
of representation would cut down the
number of members from Massachusetts,
about 40 per cent This would be a
greater loss than much talked of North
Carolina would suffer because of negro
disfranchisement:
Indeed, on the basis of the vote actual
ly cast for president in the last election
Massachusetts is a fraction more guilty Of
misrepresentation than North Carolina
North Carolina cast 291, Ss9 votes, and has
nine congressman, or 2,425 votes to each
congressman; while Massachusetts, cast
Al, Sn votes, and has thirteen congress
men, or 31,90S votes to each congress
man.
Nor is Massachusetts the only North
Atlantic state guilty of over-representa-
ton in congress in proportion to the
vote cast AT least every New England
state is in the same category, and will
suffer moro or less seriously from a
change to the popular vote as the basis
of representation. The average would
be somewhat less than 10000 votes to
each member in congress. Maine cast
only about $4,000 to each congressman,
and Rhode Island and Vermont not much
more.
The states west Of the Mississippi, and
especially those Of the Northwest, be-
tween Lake Superior and Puget Sound,
would be the heavy gamers. For example,
North Dakota. Idaho and Montana,
each of which now has only one mem
Der Of the lower house, cast a larger
vote apiece last fall than Vermont, which
has two members. Colorado, with two
members, cast 10000 votes more than
Connecticut, which has four congress
men. Washington cast more votes in
1900 than Maine, and yet now has only
two congressman to Names four.
So far as concerns the net result. it is
doubtful If in the long run the Re-
publicans would gain by the change in
the basis of representation What the
Democrats would lose in the South,
they would gain in the West; while the
Republicans would lose in the East ma
terially. Certainly the Northwest, and
the west of the Mississippi country gen.
orally, can have no complaint to make
against the proposed change of repre-
sentation, whether from a political or
any other standpoint We make the
strong showing Of growth both in pop
ulation and in count of ballots at the
polls. Whatever the basis, population or
votes, we gain in congressional repre-
sentation.