Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-05
SIZE OF THE HOUSE.
Sharp Debate on the Reapportionment
Bill.
LITTLEFIELD And HOPKINS ENGAGED
Army Reorganization Bill Finished
by the Senate.
SHORT EXECUTIVE SESSION

Speaker Henderson was again today de-
tanned at his home by illness, and Mr. Dali
zell Pa), by the designation Of the Speak
err. presided over the deliberations Of the
House. Without intervening business the
debate upon the reapportionment bill was
resumed.
Mr.. Littlefield (Me.) was the first speaker.
His argument was in favor Of the Burlegh
bill. That bill provided for House of $50
members. Mr.. Littlefield declared that the
Hopkins bill could properly be entitled
IAN act to cripple the state Of Maine in
her representation in the House and in the
electoral college," He resented what he
termed Mr.. Hopkins assault upon the
state of Maine. That statement drew from
Mr.. Hopkins indignant denial, which led
to a sharp exchange between the two men,
bers
Hopkins attention to the men who, like
Lovejoy and Fuller had gone to Illinois
to give distinction to that state. yet,
said he. the gentleman's speech yesterday
was saturated with a pettifogging assault
upon Maine"
IF there is any member of this House
who Is an expert on pettifogging 1t is the
gentleman from Maine,' retorted Mr.. Hop
kins.
THE gentleman from Maine," replied Mr..
Littlefield, never defended criminal, but
he has prosecuted several, and he Is prose-
cutting one now" daughter and applausel
That Is just the sort of remark should
have expected from the gentleman, ]udg,
ing by his previous course upon this hoor'
answered Mr.. Hopkins.
Mr. Littlefeld then settled down to his
argument. During it all he was vitr1o!ic
in his sarcasm and most of 1t was thrown
In the direction Of Mr.. Hopkins The lat
ter frequently was stung into reply, and the
two had several other sharp tiffs. The
ion nf mi
field said, that state should lose repre-
sentation under the new apportionment.
Mr.. Littlefield called attention to me
paradoxes of Mr. Hopkins system of COM
putations. First he citeu the case of Col
orado which was exploited yesterday.
Then he showed that If the total NUMBER
were to be 3S2.5 Maine would have four
representatives.; 1885, lose one; if $3.50, re-
tain four; 391, lose one, etc. The system
seemed designed, he said, to play battle
dore and shuttlecock with the state OF
Maine. I'm it goes and out 1t goes, said
he, whether the representation goes up or
down"
The gentleman points out these alleged
paradoxes under the operation of the fig
ures of the director of the census inter-
posed Mr.. Hopkins; "yet the Burleigh bill
is predicated upon the same process"
After a sharper exchange than usual with
Mr. Hopkins, the chair was obliged to call
the gentlemen to order and to call atten-
ton to the rule w..-.n provides that the
gentleman on the floor cannot be interrupt
ed without the consent of the other, and
also to the rule that members cannot ad-
dress each other by second person.
The gentleman has already interrupted
me about twenty-five times in violation of
the rule observed Mr.. Littlefed as he
was about to resume.
And the gentleman from Maine has vio-
lated the rule with reference to the second
person about fifty tines exclaimed MI.
Hopkins.
The gentleman Is becoming exceedingly
technical and sensitive" retorted Mr. Lit
third person, and later still / anticipate
that he will have shrunk sufficiently to
permit me to refer to him in the fourth or
NTH person. and perhaps in the end 1 can
eliminate him altogether" daughter and
applause.)
Proceeding Mr.. Littlefield argued that the
Constitution, in providing for .decennial ap-
portlonment, contemplate an increase Ct
the membership until the House should be-
come unwieldy. The increase was neces-
sary to keep pace with the growth of pop
ulation. Sixty years ago, he said when
the membership was only $50 the same ar
gumentS were made against an increase of
the membership which were heard now.
Where Suffrage is ABRIDGED
Mr. Shattuc (Ohio) followed Mr.. Little
field. He insisted that in making the reap-
portionment the representation should be
reduced in all states where the right to
vote is abridged. He claimed ten states
abridged the suffrage to an average of 90
per cent. They were: California, TT per
cent; Connecticut, 5.5; Delaware, 143:
Louisiana, 1913; Maine, 5.5; Massachusetts,
81; Mississippi, 40; North Carolina, 357
South Carolina. As. and Wyoming, "a