The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1905-04-06

From computations made last yea,
by Labor Commissioner o. p. Hon
that official reached the conclusion
that some Of the older settled valle,
counties and clatsop county are not
Increasing very rapidly In population
Multnomah county has now over one,
third OF the population OF the entire
state and II 1t In given one. third of tho
senators and representatives there
will be several counties in the state
that will not have much OF u repre-,
lsentation.
County Assessor Cornelius has re-
Iceived the necessary blanks and IL now
ready TO begin taking the census
whenever the county court makes pro.
visions for Il, Part OF the enumerat.
ors have been selected and the remain
ing ones win b. as soon as he is au-
thoriLed TO commence the enumeration.
II is very important that every man.
woman and child be enumerated and
that no one be overlooked. and 10 do
this, men should be selected VINO are
familiar with the city, When tho
United States census was taken In
1900. there were nearly 1000 residents
of Astoria that were not enumerated,
simply because incompetent men were
employed.
when II Is taken into consideration
that upon the census this spring de-
pends Clatsop county's representation
In the legislature Is at stake and there
Is n strong probability that Il viii loae
one OF its representatives In the legis.
lature. the Importance OF the census
cannot be overestimated. When the
last apportionment was made, Multi
nomah county was entitled TO one more
senator and two more representatives
than was given Il, but II waived this
so as TO give one or two other coun.
ties Il representation. The apportion-
ment OF the state into senatorial and
districts is not always
made In strict compliance with the
constitution, and. therefore. some
counties get u larger representation
than their population entities them to. |
while other counties get less Should |
the legislature OF 1907 be actuntsd by
a desire 10 follow the constitution.
there might be some important changes
in the apportIonment OF representa-
lives.
Under the old antlquated. mosshack |
constitution that was brought to ore.
ron by the Hudson Bay Company
bout $4,000 years before Christ. Il is
to Increase the number oi
senator's and representatives. and It
viii not be 10 years before Multnomah
ounty will elect one-half the repre-
entatives and senator's and they Will
ontrol the legislation OF the entire
tate. The constitution of Oregon pro.
ides as follows
"Thc number OF senators and rep.
esentatives shall. NJ the session next
an enumeration OF the In.
abItants Of the United States or this
tate. be fixed by law. and apportloned
mong the several counties according
, the number OF white population In
ach. And the ratio OF senators and
shall be determined by
lviding the whole number OF white
opulation OF such county or district.
y such respective ratios; and when "A
action shall result from such dIyis.
m, which shall exceed one-half of
uch ratio such county or district
lall be entitled to member for such
action. And IN case any county shalt
ot have the requisite population TO
little such county to member, then
ich county shall be attached 20 some
ljolning county for senatorial or rep
sentative purposes 9