The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-03-05
THIS MIGHT SUIT.
A New Plan for Congressional
AppOrtiOnment.
Would Avoid Disturbing the
Existing Conditions.

The principal objections urged to all
congressional appointments which
have thus far been proposed have been
that they either legislated present con-
gressmen out of Office, greatly disturbed
existing districts. or made great inc
qualities in population.
The Morrow bill threw Curtis and
Bowersock together, thereby causing
the retirement Of one of them from con-
gress, and it greatly disturbed existing
districts, although it made an eQuabie
distribution of population
The Fitzpatrick bill left Bowersock
and COngressnan-a Scott tOgeth-
er, and its distribution of population
was very unequal If that bill should
become a law within five years the Sec
ond district would have double the pop
ulation of some of the others.
The same thing is urged against the
Hale bill and the latter is unsatisfac-
tory to every county which it Is prOpOS-
ed 20 put into the new district.
The problem which confrOnts the leg
islature Is to make division which
shall not greatly disturb existing dis
trict lines, which shall leave each of tie
present congressman, including Mr..
Scott. in a district by himself. and
which shall be equable from population
standpoint. To meet these problems the
State Journal submits the following
cut the Second district in two by an
east and west line south of Franklin
and Miami counties. Take Jefferson
county from the First and add it to the
north half of the Second for d new Sec
ond. Take on or TWO counties from the
present Third and two or three from
the Fourth and add them to the south
half of the Second to bring up the pOpu-
lation of that district and to bring down
the population of the present Third,
which is entirely too large. Add to the
Fourth COWley and two counties from
the Seventh to equaIize the Fourth
and the Seventh as at present with the
exception of two counties. Make the
Eighth out Of the present Third. with
COWley and one or two other counties
Topped off to bring it down to the proper
population This makes up the districts
as follows:
Ffrst-The same as at present with
the exception of Jefferson county Popu-
lation 200 500.
Second Wyandotte. Jefferson. John
son. Douglas. Franklin and Miami coun-
ties. Population, III 050.
Third-Linn, Anderson, Bourbon. Al
len from the present Second; Neosho
and Wilson from the Third WoOdson,
Population, 1853 761.
Fourth r. Pottawatomie, Wabaunsee,
Morris, Lyon, Chase, Marion, Green
wood and Butler as at present in the
Fourth; Cowley from the Third: and
Mcpherson and Harvey from the Sew
enth. Population, 199, $50
Fifth-The same as at present
Sixth-The same as at present.
Seventh-The same as at present
with the exception of Harvey and Nc
Pherson counties.
Eighth-Crawford, Cherokee, Labette,
Montgomery, Elk and Chautauqua,
Population 100 1913.
The part of the state which viii grow
the fastest in the next ten years is that
in the gas belt and right around Kan
sas City. This division makes these
the smallest districts but it viii be
only two or three years before they
VIII be equal with the others
This division also leaves Mr.. Curtis
undisturbed in the First Mr.. Bower
sock undisturbed in the Second; Mr..
Miller in the Fourth; Mr.. Csalderhead
and Mr. Reeder in their respective dis
tricts unchanged. and very little
change in the Seventh. 1t gives Mr.
Campbell the new Eighth district and
Mr.. Scott the new Third
. There can be no reapDortionment with
out q, slight change at least in existing
districts. This plan makes about as
little change as can be, and still make
a new district. and at the same time
the friends of the present congressman
cannot object TO it. while it creates a
just distribution of population.