The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1902-02-19
Only One Slight Change from Bill as
It Passed the House.
CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS
AS Fixed by the New. RcIissrictiag
Bill. There Was 4 Long De
bate Over the Bill. Bu;
1t Finally Passed.
1t Finally Passed.

over the rediStricting bill. The meas
ure, as it passed the house, finally
passed its second reading in the senate,
with the single amendment that Clar-
endon is taken from the seventh dis
trict and placed in the first district.
Its thought that this amendment will
be agreed to by the house and that the
bill will be ratified in this shape.
Senator Gruber Tuesday offered an
amendment which would have materi-
ally changed the first, second and sey-
enUh districts, but after long debate
the amendment was lost. When Sena-
tor Nayield undertook to have Edge
field and Salu0a placed in separate
districts. This brought forth spirit
ed protest from Senator Sheppard, who
carried his point, and Edgeie}d and
Saluda remain side by side in the Sec
on0 district.
AS IT PASSED.
The redistricting bill, as it passed
the senate Tuesday, arranges the con-
gressional districts as follows:
First District-Charleston. Berkeley,
ColletCn, Clarendon and Dorchester.
Second Districts-Aiken, Bamberg,
Baruwell, Beaufort, EdgeielG, Saluda
and Hampton.
Third District-Pickens, Oconee,
Anderson, Aobeville, Greenwood and
NeWberry.
Fourth District-Laurens, Spartan
burg, Greenville and Union.
Fifth District-Cherokee. Chester.
York, Fairfield kerSlaw. Chester
field and Lancaster.
Sixth District-Marlboro, Marion,
Horny, Darlington, Florence, VIZ
iamsburg and Georgetown.
Seventh Observation-Disclosures, Sum-
ter, Orangeburg and Lexington.
THE DEDATE.
At 1925 the special order Of the
day, Mr.. McGowan's bill ''to establish
congressional districts and name the
same" was reached.
Senator Gruber offered an amend
ment to sustitute Orangeburg for Col
Teton in the First district; Colleton
for Edgefeld and Saluda in the Sec
ond district: and Edgefeld and Saluda
for Orangeburs in the Seventh dis
trict. This proposed amendment af-
fected only the. first, second and
seventh districts as the bill came from
= the house.
Senator May1ield spoke in favor Of
the proposed amendment, arguing
that it would mate close, compact dis
tricts, of equitable size and population
and that it would put people of close
and allied interests into the same dis
trict. The proposed change does not
affect the districts in the upper part
Of the State, but only those in the
lower section OF the State. 1t con-
forms more nearly to the arrangement
of the judicial circuits thanany other.
Senator Gruber said he recognized
fully that it would be impossible to
arrange the districts SO as to meet the
approval Of ali the people Of the State.
because there are SO many conflicting
interests. All that can be attempted
is to carry out the spirit of the federal
law. and in this proposed amendment
it is simply proposed to do substan-
tial justice to the people and the in
terests concerned. The amendment
is not offered in the interest of any
prospective candidate or any particu-
lar interest. Senator Gruber then
reviewed the diSparitieS in the popula-
tion of the districts as make up in the
house bill. He declared there was
gross Injustice in the house bill. Why
is it, he asked can 16S.000 people in
one district have a representative in
congress, while in another district it
takes 2l1, 900 people to elect a con-
gresham. Let any man study the
bill and it will condemn itself. He
called attention to the fact that in
the amendment he proposed the first
district would have q population Of
$4,000; the second would have lS4.-
600, and the seventh would have 49,
900. This brings the population OF
the three districts very nearly to the
required general average-l9l, 900
much nearer than is secured by any
other arrangementyet proposed. This
bill, Of course, has not been introduced
for the purpose Of flegislating any man
in or out Of congress. but the districts
should be so arranged that every coun-
ty should have fcir showing in the
election Of a congressman. he dis
claimed any accusation, but the temp
tation would be great on the part Of
CONGRESSMAN to distribute their favOrS
in counties that have large Democratic
majoritieS, while the smaller counties
would have no political influence. Un-
der this arrangement COlletOn county
would have no political weight or in
fuence in district with Charleston.
Senator Sheppard then took the
floor. lie said the whole burden Of
Mr. Gruber'S argument seemed to be
that ColletUn. with q small voting
population, should not be placed in a
district with Il large county like Char
lesion, because her men might not
have the opportunity they would like.
The senators from majority OF the
counties that are affected by this pro-
posed amendment will vote against it..
The proposed change will make dis
trict running from the Savannah river
tHo-thir0s Of the way across the State
"a gerrymanding district truly. 1t
is moi, absolutely necessary that ali OF
county should be placed in one con
gresSional district, and If desired Coz
Teton county can be divided and one
part placed in one district and part IN
another. At tie same time we can
arrange the districts solely in the in
terests Of the people Of Colleton coun-
ty. The only issue is shall this dis