The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-02-19
SHOULD Be DONE NOW
The Work of Changing the
Congressional Districts.
Mr.. Bower Not Welded 10 Any Particular Fern
Of Districts, Thinks Democrats En-
titled 10 Ten.

great surprise and establishment the
cratic Legislative caucus to postpone the
redistricting of the State (as to Congress
sional districts) to the year 1903. This
proposition, which seems to be seriously
entertained and advocated by some mem
bers of the Legislature and other promi-
nent persons not members of the Legsla-
| ture. in M opinion would be a grave
mistake, and permanently disastrous to
| the Democratic party in the Western
| part of the State. At the expiration of
the present Congressional term this (the
! Sth) district will have been represented
eight years by a Republican, and with the
exception of the fractional term OF Mr..
| Crawford the same observation will APP
| ply to the Ninth District. In these two
districts alone. have the Democrats lost
strength and the Republicans correspond
| ingly increased theirs. This, in my opin-
| ion, has been due in great part to the
| fact that in the Congressional Judicial
and Senatorial districts the Republicans
have had control, and have been able TO
dickeP and traffic with the unstable and
| floating element of voters and unscrupu-
| lous aspirants for office. The impression
is abroad, and justified and confirmed by
the last four general elections that to be
Republican and Fusionist is to win in
this section and hence the Democrats
enter into the contests doubtful and
often he eless as to the result, while
our opponents are sanguine and confident.
| If the districts are left as they are, while
the result will be close, in NV opinion.
bn
Republican in 1902 This is the popular
impression among Democrats and Repub-
| licans There is no necessity for this
whatever. 1t can be easily arranged to
J have ten Democratic districts. The bill
introduced by Speaker Moore will give us
ten safe Democratic districts. l believe
| it will be found. upon investigation that
each district under this bill is Democratic.
not only according to the gubernatoral
vote of 1900. but upon the basis of the
presidential vote as we'll. There is not
a COUNT in the State in which. in 1902
We viii not make a gain over the presI-
dental vote of 1900. have not seen the
Watts bill, but it may be that the same
results can be had under it,
The arguments advanced in favor OF
letting the districts remain as they are
till 1903 are. l submit of little weight.
II is said political matters are unsettled
now and if we redstrict now, we may
make mistake and will be powerless to
correct it through the next Legislature.
This IS not true. We can redistrict
the State at large, but once after each
anpOrtionment. but we know from, the
past that we can change the districts
when and as often as we please. The
Legislature Of 1895 changed the Eighth
and Ninth districts and possibly others.
The Legislature of 1897 changed the
Eighth. the Ninth and Seventh districts.
The Legislature of 1899 changed the
Seventh, the Eighth and Ninth districts.
So if the present legislative body should
fail to give us a first class job tfrom
Democratic standpoinD the next Legisla-
ture can remedy the matter.
Let them give us ten Democratic dis
tricts, according TO the last Presidential
vote and the Democrats in 1902 will enter
the fight with the expectation and deter
mination to win in ever one, and they
will win. In this matter the personal in
terests of aspirants for Congressional
nominations and indeed the personal in
terests OF our able and worthy Congress
sional incumbents ought not to be allow
ed to interfere in the least, with meas
ure looking to party interest and party
eXpediency. ! think the News and OBJ
server, as the leading Democratic organ
Of the State and Senator Simmons as
chairman of the Democratic Executive
Committee, should look after this matter
and tender to our legislators such sug.
gestions and advice as the veal of the
party NAV seem TO demand
/ do not want TO be unders TODD as ad-
vCcating any particular redistricting bill
am mot welded to any particular form"
of districts. but what l do insist upon,
and what | think the Democrats of the
State have a right to demand is that
there shall be ten Democratic districts
and these should be made. even if in do
ing So it should be necessary TO form
them in the shane of the Landmarks
noted "Santer" or to stretch District
from Cherokee to Currtuck-the act of
Congress to the contrary Notwithstanding.
w. II. BOWER
Lenoir. Feb. Is.