The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1901-04-26
WHY THIS "HOWL?'

If the Mapleton Enterprise, Lake
CRYSTAL Union and other papers pub
Iished in Blue Earth county outside
the city of Mankato can give no better
reasons for criticising Senator Bene-
diets action in trying to secure the
passage of a bill in the Legislature re-
curing the board of county com
missioners to redistrict the county
than have thus far been attempted,
they had better stop nowling.
The fact of the business is Senator
Benedict's proposition that passed the
senate was so eminently fair and just
that the wonder is that Representatives
Wilder and Norman could possibly
oppose it, and by their opposition de-
feat its passage in the house. The
population of the districts as they now
stand are: First district, 6, 800; Sec
ond district, 10, 500 Third district, 4,
$50; Fourth district, g. 59l Fifth dis
trict, 5,673. Will anyone contend for
a moment that there is any equity or
fairness in the districts as they now
stand? The Second, or city district,
contains more than two and one-half
times the population of the Third
more than the First and Third districts
combined almost twice as many peo-
pie as the Fourth, and nearly as many
as the Fourth and Fifth combined.
There is not now and neither has
there existed for years any reason for
the city of Mankato being denied its
equitable representation on the county
board. 1t pays about one third of the
total taxes of the county, contains
almost one-third of the population of
the entire county, and is forced to ac-
cept one-ffth representation on the
commission that has charge of the
affairs of the county. 1t is not to the
credit of the people of the country to
deny the city the representation that
it demands, and we believe that the
county commissioners would be en-
dOrsed by the taxpayers out of the city
as well as in it, if they were to go
ahead and redistrict the county and
by so doing equalize the commissioner
districts as to population.
Senator Benedict's bill was emf
nently fair. 1t proided that upon the
presentation of petition to the board
Of county commissioners signed by at
least twenty-five per cent of the legal
voters who voted at the last general
election, requesting it to redistrict the
county in respect to the commissioner
districts, it should be the duty of the
board to redistrict. 1t provided also
that the districts should contain as
nearly as practicable an equal popula-
ton and be composed of as compact
and contiguous territory as possible.
Are not these provisions fair and just?
As at present constituted the county
board is composed of four country
members to one from the city. With
four members from the country out of
a total of five to redistrict, and after
the redistricting with three of the five
from the country, we cannot see why
in the world anyone could oppose
such a proceeding. Certain it is that
opposition cannot be based upon rea-
son. If the conditions were reversed
how long would the country people
submit?
Taxation without representation is
contrary to our republican form of
government, yet this is precisely what
the people of Blue Earth county are
infiicting upon the city through fail
ure to demand an equalizing of COM
missioner districts.