The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-02-23
PLAYING GAME OF BLUFF
FAVOR OF REDISTRICT-
ING STATE
WISH CoNGREssMEN -AT-LARGE
minneapolis and st. Paul Would
Then Be in a Position to Each
Secure an Additional
representative.

The reapportionment committee is in a
world of trouble.
n combination has been formed against
1T, and it begins to look as if any effort
upon the part Of the thirty-one LEGISLATORS
appointed to redistrict the state would be
futile. 1t certainly will unless the com
mlttee, or that part of it, actually favor
ing nine congressional districts in Mime
sofa can succeed in oVerthrowing the
subtle influences of a very formidable
opposition.
Ostensibly Ramsey and Hennepin coun-
~ Republ cans are in favor of two new
congressional districts; actually they are
not A suggestion of the agreement en-
tered into by these politicians was reveal
ed Wednesday, when the subcommittee
OF seven submitted their plan to the COM
mlttee at large, upon which they pro-
posed the state could be redistricted
There was a rather animated farce, in
which Hennepn and Ramsey county men
engaged, the purpose of which was to
give the impression that each of the
Twin Cities was clinging tenaciously to
pet plan all its own, and that a most
uncompromisng attitude would be MAIN
tanned on the part of each The county
members of the committee, it was plain
to see. We're heartily in favor of redis-
tricting the state, and they offered more
than one Plan in support of their theories
So enthusiastic are some of the Twin
City members of the legislature in their
determination to prevent the state from
being redistricted and thus compel the
election OF two new representatives at
large, that some are now ready to bet
money that new division of the state
will not be made. 1T is, of course, obvi-
Gus why st. Paul and Minneapolis Re-
publicans want to pursue this course.
which will, by no means, commend Itself
TO the country members of the Republic
an party. Each of the Twin Cities. under
the present system, has a representative
in the lower house of congress, and the
country people certainly viii not favor
the plan which will give them such a
splendid opportunity of getting another
congressman apiece, who will sail under
the mysterious title of Congressman at
large. Yet this is precisely what the
Republican delegations in the legislature
from st. Paul and Minneapolis are schem-
ing for.
OPPOSED TO ANY. PLAN.
No matter what plan may have been
or may hereafter be proposed the Twin
Cities are unalterably opposed to them
all and to everything else except a plan
to leave the congressional districts as
they are, and elect the two new repre-
sentatives to which the state is enti.
tied, at large. AS matter of fact St
Paul Republicans have expressed a will
ingness to abide by the plan of the sub
committee, which is the Daugherty-
Ferris plan. but the Minneapolis faction
has objected to this system, Offering one
in its stead which cuts off the east side
of the Mil City and throws it in a new
district to the north Under one system
now proposed, the Fourth district would
be composed of Ramsey, Chisago and
Washington counties; under another only
Ramsey and Washington would comprise
1t. To the latter plan, which is ostensibly
supported by Minneapolis Republicans
the Ramsey men strenuously object hold
ing that to cut off Chisago would leave
g them with a very doubtful Republican
district
No time and energy will be wasted on
this particularly by the Ramsey foction
as the game is only bluff offered by
the Minneapolis people, with whom Ram
Sey is cooperating to obstruct the reau-
portionment undertaking until the legs
1ature closes, when it will be too late to
proceed with the work.
OF course, if the Twin City Republican
delegations succeed in defeating the re-
anportionment and leave the two repre-
sentatives to be chosen by the state at
large, they win each stand remarkably
fine chance of getting at least one of the
congressman between them, if not both
Minneapolis, with her varying conven-
tonel vote of from 125 to 100. and St Paul
with its S. can come pretty near con-
trolling the deliberations of the body
that will have the power of nominating
these two new congressman. The country
district, in this case, would be praCti-
cally barred from any possibility of elect
ing either man. Therefore, if the Twin
City factions knock out the reapportion-
ment proposition, they have gained the
battle. And i'm order to prevent him from
acquiring this strategic vantage ground
the country members will have to make
united fight for the reapportionnent,
with no less determination than actuates
their city neighbors, who stand ready
to oppose every plan for reapportionment,
no matter what division of the state it IN
wolves.
Fortunately the country members on
the reapportionment committee outnum-
Der the Twin City members and in this
probably lays the only hope of redistri:t-
ing the state and electing nine congress-
men, each from his own district.