Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1902-04-03
APPORTIONMENT BILL VETOED.
Governor Montague last night sent u

Governor Montague last night sene y
message to the general assembly Veto
ing the Congressional reapportioument
bill. The veto occasioned little sur
prise, but q great deal OF interest. The
opponents of the bill had expected the
veto and its advocates feared IL.
Ooly few members OF each orancn
being present, there could be no action
on the veto. There can therefore be
20 changes in the Congressional as
tricts of Virginia until another legisla
ture meeis.
The governor bases bis veto on the
ground that the reapportlonmeLt mea.
sure is In violation OF the Stats ana
Federal law, and inimical u the best
iDt srests OF the Commonwealth.
Gov. Montague, after calling atten'
ton to tins constituent provisions, says:
st is manifest that the object OF any
apportionmeDt is the equalization Of
population and tie compactness oil
area OF the several districts, and unless
these fundamental requirements be
met the spportionmept Is without law
full sanction. 10 my judgment the bill
under consideration fails to meet either
OF these requirements"
Continuing the governor compares
the districts under the two bills as to
population, and asserts that no effort Ia
made to comply WITH the requirement
that districts be compact. He con-
cudes:
"Virginia IL not ep titled TO an increase
In representation In Congress, and
therefore, under the Federal statute
the failure to make an apportionment
will 10 no wise disturb her represetti'
ton, tae present status, 10 terms, con
tluulng until changed by statute. No
great hardship can, therefore, occur tc
the State by the failure TO enact an ap
porllonment law OF any time within tnf
remainder Of the decade that body Ii
authorized to make an spportionment
and con equeptly, whatever injury may
now press upon any district can easily
| be .edressed In the near future.
"For these reasons l am convinced
that would disobey my ostn OF Office
| not to express my disapproval oil
n easure, which, in my opinion, Ia II
violation OF the State and Federal laH
aud iDimioal to the best interests OF th'
Commonwealth"
The districts Ia which the creates
objections were raised we're the Sixth
Nyuchburg) aud the First (Fredericks
bure). These are now represented By
| Messrs. O,ey and Jones, respectively
Senator Daniel and many other promi
nent democrats contsnded that tn'
changes made 10 the Sixth distric
would place it 10 the somewhat doubt
fol column. Congressman II. ID. Flood
of Appomattox, contends that the re
appo tioDment bill did not require In
Governors signature and therefore is
law without that formality. This con
tention. however, Is not concurred II
by many other leading lawyers OF tn
State. -,
Had the Governor vetoed this oil
when there was q full attendance o
the legislature il would have been pass
ed over his head. AS 1t is, IL will Great
much dissatisfaction.
Senator Daniel says that the repor
that be had seen the governor In reier
ence to the bill was erroneous. ID
went to see the governor on arothe
matter. There will probably be no etor
to take the matter to the courts on tn
grouud that the governor had no righ
TO veto the measure, as there is piec
edent for the governors action 10 b
found 10 that Of Governor Cameron
! who vetoed similar bill in 1888. Th
legislature sfterwsrd passed the bll
over his veto.