New-York tribune., 1905-01-30
RFAPPORTfONhfEYT.

Bills have been introduced in the Senate and
Assembly TO carry out the provision OF the con-
gtftution for a decennial census and legislative
leapportioument According 70 the consutu-
ton an enumeration must be made this year in
MAY and June and q new apportionment act
passed at the next session Of the legislature
The present distribution of representation dates
from the adoption Of the new constitutional
little over ten years ago. Since that time some
inequalities in representation have doubtless
developed and the 1905 enumeration will be
pretty certain 10 show the need Of a certain re-
distribution OF representative power. The
changes VIII be relatively slight, however: for
the constitution itself estops any violent devia-
tons from the balance between city and coun-
fry established in 1894.
Curiously enough. the changes due 10 a dec
ades unequal growth viii show more strlkngly
in the upper than In the lower branch OF the
legislature. Representation in the Senate is now
based strictly on population, while representa-
ton IN the Assembly corresponds TO population
only after the right OF each county, as such, TO
an individual voice IN legislation is satisfied
Under our system each county, except Haml-
ton. must have an Assemblyman, no matter
how few nhabitHnts IL can muster; and every
county having a population equal 10 one and
half times the delegate ratio is entitled TO two
Assemblymen. The seats remaining-half, or
toned mathematically among the larger coun-
't@s. In the Senate. however, the fifty seats
must be distributed as nearly as possible on
population basis
The Congress reapportionment Of 1901 made
under the federal census Of 1900 indicates in
some measure the readjustments that must
come in plotting the new Senate districts There
are now thirty-seven Congress districts in the
state Eighteen Of these lie in the territory be
low the Westchester County line. Nineteen lie
IN the territory above that line; but of the fifty
Senate districts only twenty-one lie south OF
Westchester. In view Of the steady growth Of
the latter section since 1900 it must now con
tain about half the population OF the State. and
the new enumeration viii probably show thar
II is entitled 10 tweBty-four or TWENTY-FIVE Son.
ators out Of nifty. The constitution does not al
low any one county 10 have more than n third
"f the representation I'm the Senate or any two
adjoining counties 10 nave more than half az
al ;he Senators. New-York and Kings coun-
hes now have together nineteen Senators, and
thcir growth in the last decade VIII carry their
representation after 1906. TO the verge of the
constitutional limit When that limit is reached
recourse viii have 10 be had TO the constitu-
ions rather vague provision for enlarsinc the
membership OF the Senate under certain condi-
tons and circumstances.
One Inequality in representation from which
This city suffers wiil we trust be renaired
under the new RpportionmenL That is the
extraordinary disregard OF veting strength
shown in the division Of New-York County into
Assembly districts Many of the downtown
districts are now vastly undersized, and many
of the uptown ones are just as vastly over
grown. Last November 1890 votes were cast
for Assembly candidates in the lst District.
1886 in me sth 6.724 IN the I'd, 1852 in the Sd
and 1888 Ia the 4th On the other hand 1888
votes were cast IN the 34th 20926 in the 31st.
- 4l3 IL the 21st and 29e6 IN the 35th The
redistrScting Of the county will devolve on the