The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-11-24
Few Districts in the State Could BE
Changed Radically for PoIit-
icaI Advantage.
POLITICS PLAYS SOME PART
REPUBLICANS WILL PAY ATTENTION
TO DOUBTFUL DISTRICTS.
Good of the Party VIII BE the First
Consideration-Inter Facts
and Figures.

No little Importance is attached to the
reapportonment of the State for legislative
purposes which will be taken up at the ap-
preaching session of the General Assembly,
and forecast of the figures that must be
considered by the reapportionment COM
mittee brings out some interesting facts.
Many changes may be made in both the
representative and senatorial districts. but
especially in the latter. and while the exact
result of the work of the Legislature can
not be predicted, comparisons can be made
that will show where the most important Of
these changes may occur.
According to the enumeration of the vot-
ers in the State, compiled by the auditors OF
the several counties last year and certified
to the auditor of state, there are 679.074
white male inhabitants over twenty-one
years of age, and 15.272 colored; total. 694.-
346. The average for each congressional
district is 534ll. There are 100 members
of the lower house and fifty Of the Senate.
consequently the average for each repre-
sentative district is 6.si3 and for each sena-
torial district twice that amount. or 1856.
The enumeration of 1895 showed a total
for the State of 627.O22 and the legislative
apportionment was made on a basis Of $40
voters TO each representative district and
1850 to each senatorial district. The ap-
portionment is made that each district
will have approximately its proportion OF
the voters. although. of course. the division
cannot be made an exact .s:>.t'r- oF-ypi
IN MARION COUNTY.
The number of representatives and SEN
ators from each of the congressional dis
tricts will not be materially changed. The
Seventh district is the only one that win
be greatly affected either way. This dis
trict. which is composed OF Marion county
alone, now has seven and a half repre-
sentatives and three and a half senators
that is. it has seven representatives and a
joint representative with Hancock county.
and three senators and a joint senator with
Morgan county. There are now 5s,272 voters
in this county, however, as against 46.02l
in 1885, and the county is therefore entitled
TO eight representatives and a joint repre-
sentative and four senators and a Joint
ator. This will increase substantially the
prestige and power of Marion county in
the General Assembly.
In the senatorial apportionment the dis
tricts composed Of PoSey and Gibson coun-
ties; Vanderburg, Warrick and Pike; Spen-
GER Perry and Crawford; Dubois and Davies
and Harrison and Floyd, will probably not
be changed, the total vote in each dis
trict has increased about in proportion TO
the increase in the average on which the
reapportionment will be based The district
ever, shows q total OF over 1000 below the
average and a change may be made there
Inc dastrif's ;t d od enning Ieffsr.on Rin.
ley and Switzerland: Franklin, Dearborn
and Ohio; Bartholomew and Decatur:
Greene, Monroe and Brown, and Martin.
Lawrence and Orange show practically the
right number of voters. The district OF
Knox and Sullivan has ZOO voters In ex-
cess Of the average and one OF these coun-
ties may be coupled with a smaller one
The districts OF Vigo. Parke and Vermilion;
Clay and Owen, Putnam and Montgomery,
Hendricks and Boone and Johnson and
Shelby have about the right number OF
voters Madison county is still entitled TO
one senator and joint senator, but the dis
trict of Madison, Hancock and Rush may
be changed by leaving out either hancock
or Rush and still be entitled 10 cne SEN
ator The district OF Henry, Fayette and
Union is all right. but Wayne county, which
now has one senator, lacks over 90 votes
of being I'D TO the new average.
The proportion In the districts OF Ran
dolph and Jay; Delaware, Hamilton and
Tipton; Grant, Blackford and Wells: Allen
and Adams: Huntington and Whitley; Wa
bash and Fulton and Clinton and Carroll Is
approximately equal 10 the new average
The district of Miami and Howard. how
ever, has considerably over 1000 above the
average, while Tippecanoe falls about that
amount below. The districts OF Fountain.
Warren and Benton; Newton, Jasper and
White. Cass and Pulaski; Laporte and
Starke: Marshall and Kosciusko, and Elk
hart are about UP to the average, but that
of Lake and Porter is over 200 in excess or
| the average. while that of St Joseph is
5000 ahead, that of Lagrange and Noble 5000
below and that OF Steuben and De Kalb 900
below the new average
REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICTS.
| In The representative districts fewer
| changes will be made IL they are asked
| for solely on account OF marked increase
/ or decrease in the number Of voters as
/ compared with the new average. Outside
/ of Marion county, which is clearly entitled
/ 10 another representative, there is not a
J district in the State that has indsputable
! claims to an increase in its representation
! i'm the lower house. Madison county comes
/ the nearest lacking only 327 votes OF having
/ enough for three representatives on the
new basis. Madison now has two repre-
/ sentatives and fourth. being In the joint
/ district composed Of Madison, Hamilton.
Boone and Montgomery counties. As the
4 figures are so close. the Madison county
/ delegation will undoubtedly make stren-
uous effort 10 secure the additional repre-
| sentative.
| The district composed OF Ohio and Swift
| zerland counties Is over Zoo voters below
the average, but II was practically tnar
much below the average for the last ap-
| portionment. The district OF Dubois and
| Pike is almost 1900 above the average and
a change is not improbable there. Car
| roll and Porter counties. each OF which
| has one representative. are considerably
below the average, but IL Is not likely that
| a change will be made.
| Outside OF Marion and possibly Madison
county. the State might be left as II IS
| now apportioned for legislative purposes
| and no great wrong would be worked any
| district The increase In voting population
| has been comparatively uniform all over
| the state considered by congressional cis-
trfcts The Seventh district leads MIN
an increase of Is per cent. The Elgntn y
second with Is per cent: the Eleventh y
| third with Is per cent. and the Inirkeensn
fourth with Is per cent The increase ~
tia etksr districts is ss foiowss fns@