The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-05-10
VI.

In a chapter on Rings and Bosses
we encounter an assertion that seems to
he based on misconception Of the motives
Of those who find politics lucrative trade.
Prof. WOODBURY. says: 1t Ia no more selfish
to 60 into politics for personal gain than
10 stay out for personal gain, The man
who goes about his business making money
and feathering his own nest. and thinking
only OF commercial gains, while he is con-
tent to leave the dirty pool OF politics. .
the INSCRIPTIONS and professional poll
tcians,' is no more unselfsh and patriotic
than the man who goes into politics for
what he can make out Of It,. II Is a rule
which has but few exceptions that 1t ia
impossible to make money out Of politics
honestly. The salaries are too small, and
too large a proportion of them Ia required
for the procurement OF nominations and
for electioneering purposes Those who
make money out Of politics do SO by stealing
and not otherwise. This will be evident II
official salaries arc contrasted with the
assessments levied upon candidates by
party managers. We reproduce some fig
ures given by Prof. WOODBURY.: in
1887 the City Chamberlain Of New York
estimated the minimum assessment on a
candidate for Mayor at SO, 900; for Comp
troller. at SO .000 for District Attorney, at
IS, 900. In 1887. the Democratic rings OF
New York city demanded SIS 900 for the
nomination to the Comptroler ship and
IS 900 for that to a State Senatorship. Now
the salary Of the Comptroller Is $4,000
year for three years; that Of State Senator.
81 800 year for two years. That is to say.
the candidate for a State Senatorship was
expected to pay 81 900 more than his total
salary. a fact suggestive Of expectations Of
gain from some other source. In Massa-
chusetts members Of the Federal House Of
Representatives have been known to pay
Sl2, 600 for a nomination" Their aggregate
salary for the two years OF service is
$4,000
In the chapter on THE Gerrymander.'
We are reminded that the term is applied
to device for laying out electoral districts
In such way as to give the political party
conducting the operation an unfair ad-
vantage over its opponent. The aim Of
the gerrymander is this: Make your own
district majorities as small as Ia safe; make
your opponents district majorities as
large and as few as is possible; throw away
a. few Of your own totes and as many Of
your opponents as you cam II. for in
stance, q Congressional district is safely
Democratic, a Republican gerrvmanderer
would throw a. many Democratic counties
into that district as possible 40 that his
opponents would carry 1t by from 10000
TO 1900 majority. He would thus take
Democratic cour les away from several
surrounding districts which might in this
way be made safely Republican. The
primary purpose is, Of course, to enable
party voters to exercise political power
out OF proportion to their numbers "A
a rule, two legal requirements obstruct
the execution OF a gerrymander. These
are that a district shall be composed OF
contiguous territory. and that all districts
shall contain. AZ nearly as is practicable,
an equal number OF inhabitants. The first
Of these requirements is inserted in most
apportionment acts both Of Congress and
Of the State Legislatures The second re-
qiiirement is made. either In the written
constitutions OF the States or in the appor-
tionment acte OF Congress or In pursuance
OF the primary condition OF republican
government that the people shall be repre-
sented In proportion to their numbers.
Both Of these requirements. however, are
generally disregaried by the gerrymanderer.
He roundly violates the second by making
the districts very unequal in number Of IN
habitants. and he evades the first by dis
torting the boundaries Of districts and plac-
ing counties out of their natural position.
Some notable examples Of the gerry.
mnnder are given. In 1889, the Rspub-
lican majority in Ohio was 2O,5o0 In 1890
the Democrats carried the Legislature
and redist ricted the State 30 that the Re-
publicans could get only seven out Of twenty
one Congressman. Later the Republicans
redistricted Ohio % ss to enable them to
elect seventeen Representatives out OF
twenty-one. In iaoo. In Indiana, tho Re-
publioans cast 3ts,0eo votes; the DEMO-