Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-11-28
REp;sT7ICT MISSOURI.
The State to be More Fairly Repre-
scented in Congress.

WASHINGTON Nov o1-MiSSOurl Re-
publicans confidently assert anu PRONE
inent Democrats of that state VINO are
in Washington tacitlN admit. that 'iie
days of a practically solid Democratic
Congress delegation are over, ana tiid'
a fair and equitable redistrlctlng DILL
when passed by the next leSiS'dtuie'
will receive the approval OF Governor
Folk. That such a bill will be intro
iuced in the Missouri Legislature next
winter is assured. for the reason that
the present Congress district pounua-
reS of the state are 50 VIGOROUSLY or
the shoestrins and ZigzaS order lhtl
reputable Democrats. as we'll as Re-
publicans. condemn them in unintas-
ured terms. 1t is pointed out that the
normal Congress delegation Of fifteen
Democrats TO one Republican siShiliE
fails 10 represent the political senu-
Lrent Of the state. The districts nave
been so gerrymandered under Demo-
cratic misrule that only the tremendous
upheaVal caused by the Roosevelt
landslide made it possible for amy part
Of the state to send to Congress Il man
who represented the Views ~ tn" con-
sentative interests Of that section.
The voters OF Missouri have become
exceedingly weary of enforced SUB
servience to the will and manipulatiohS
OF the Democratic machine. which Gov
ernor-e ~ FOLK himself SIll.S!.ei v men
lie attacked its leaders for official cor
ruption ami placed many of thrn be-
hind the bars. To be made the CATS
paw of 'i::icrr..itvi political orSalIl-
ZatiOn, WEoSt- methods are iii every
way iepug..:U "a decent. f;lir-nllldtd
men is a coMGitj"f that will no longer
be tolerated. am! j., Congress. 1T le tst,
Missouri IL the future will be in a 20
sition to vote las choice with a rr;i-
sonabie chance "a g. .'i',: putHtjnn III &C
c0rdauce with lis y Il.
The Democratic leaders OF the vHrf.
as districts il. Missouri have had 4
!labit, when vrt r:'n Representative
was in danger Of losing his seat
through the ambition w -n.n" i'fi+ht.
aggressive young Demon s.. .tiG
bill through the legislature. topping
of the county behind the new asi.ir;'nl
and making it a part of another dis
t.ict where he could again grow un
18th the country. Repeated perform
"ncAs of this Kind have made the map
''> like crazy 4llt ANA the votes
..--,'t on improved conditions. The
roiAt out tn; Gover;ur-el"ct Folk l.
OBS record AGAINST ct.,. ''''i'tics. ana
they insist IT. L th,.y ;.l. !, y things
more ohje, ;-pnuble politically ANA
hoprIcssIy G,Irymnndered districts.
They believe that in the interests of
justice ana fair Play he viii come I"
;he rescue. and that il the future the
Missouri delegation in Congress vii!
| more honestly represent the sentiment
Of the voters.
| III TIL. next Congress the delegation
| from Missouri will consist Of nine r.
! pubi"uns ana seen Democrats. While
this division may not accurately repre-
sent the political affiliations of the
state it is regarded as absolutely GER
| tain that at least five and probably
seven. Republicans should be returned
| to Congress. ANA that Il bill 50 reiiH-
tricting the state as TO insure that rep
resentation VIII be Introduced at tn,
next session of the legislature. The
Xth Nth and %IIth districts which are
! in the city of St Louis, it is believed,
/ can be i'earranged honestly and fairly
l 50 as to make them normally Republic
! can. Richard Barthnidt. in the Ntn
/ district secures his votes from fringe
| that completely cncirCles the southern
| section of the city OF st. Louis ana
! takes in a part o! tn" county. His ma
! IoritN is uSJAilN zen Thousand or more
and it is understood to be the purpose
If the next legislature to parcel out
those votes moro justly. If st. Louis
should be divided EeoGra phically into
/ three nearly equal Congress districts.
cunning north and south. the result
Nouli be the election OF TIN ee Republi-
can congressman. The Nth district,
dominated LnG changed when neces-
slry to suit conditions By Champ.
Clark, now runs diagonally in eve~y
direction. and will probably be
! Strengthened cut so as to make il more
| compact. In that event the IXth dis
| trIct would AZ least be doubtful The
XVIII and XVIII districts. which will
| be represented. respectively. in the
liext Congress by &. NJ. Shartel ANA A.
| r. Murphy. Republicans. max also b.
retained permanently in the Republic
| can column.
The drift in Missouri is unquestinua.
bly toward reform in political methods.
and il is declared tiirt the first reform
attempted Will be reimbursement Of
The patchwork boundaries or the CON
GreSS districts