The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1907-03-01

members of the east giving to the
great counties Of the west that amount
OF square-deal that we heard SO much
OF at the beginning Of the session?
When asked as to what the basis
of apportionment is the chairman of
that committee replies that 1t is
10,250 of inhabitants for each senator
and 1900 for each representative.
When asked where he got those fig
ures he replies that he don't know,
that he just picked them up Pehaps
this is true, perhaps it is not, but the
fact remains that If the members who
are parties to this piece of political
iniquity had searched their arithme-
tics from one cover to the other, no.
where in all their contents could they
have found just the right figure to do
just what this basis does. Had they
increased the basis Of senatorial rep
resentation only two hundred and
fifty, then the result would have been
that the counties of Barnes, Cavalier
and Grand Forks would have lost
one senatorial district each, result
not desired by the makers of this APP
portiOnment. Had they reduced the
basis only two hundred and fifty and
used 10000 instead Of 10,250, the re-
suit would have been that each of the
counties of Bottineau, McHenry and
Mclean would had two senatorial dis
tricts instead Of one.
Gentlemen, I am informed and know
It to be fact that the committee of
apportionment Of this house was call
ed together hurriedly at noon today
to give our consent to another piece
Of political turpitude which empha-
sizes still further the fact that this
apportionment bill is gotten together
not for the purpose of equity and JUS
tice, but for the sole purpose of per-
petuating the power of the legislature
in the hands of the members from the
eastern portion of the state, and at the
expense of the western portion of the
same. At no time since the legislat-
ure has convened has any one dared
to hint that the county of Trail with
population of less than $4,000 could
possible hope for more than one sena-
torial district, but If you will examine
the bill before you and the amendment
thereto, you will find that the county
Of Trail is allowed two senatorial dis
tricts.
Gentlemen, the people of Bottineau
county want fair play, they want jus
tice, they want to be represented up
on the floor of this house upon an
equal with every other county. They
do not only want this but they want
senatorial representation as we'll. I
know full we'll at this time that I am
playing losing game, know that
the majority is framed up in ma
chine the object of which is to deny to
these three great counties of the west
their rights under the laws and con-
stitution of this state. But cannot
be party to that deal, ask only that
you treat these counties fairly, that
you judge them by the same rule that
you are judging yourselves, and l
will say in fair warning that cannot
be party to this wrong which you are
about to perpetuate. can be defeat
ed, but in turn can go back to the
people of Bottineau county and say to
my constituents that l did all in my
power to get for them representa-
ton fairly and honestly commensurate
with that of all the counties of the
state.
1t has been asserted by the members
of the apportionment committee, that
is those that dwell In the Valley coun-
ties, that We could not accept the CEN
sus reports as basis for this ap-
portionment, for the reason that these
western counties, the counties of Bot
tineau, .McHenry and Mclean lay in
the dry belt. That while we had been
prosperous for a few years and our
population would vanish, and instead
of not having enough of representa-
ton, in all human probability we
would have great deal more than
we were entitled to. ~
In reply to this assertion 1 again
call to your attention the constitu-
ton of this state and in inform you
that that instrument says you shall
base your apportionment upon the
census, and indeed so far as I have
been able to discover this is, the great
est If it is not the only reason why
this census was taken. But IL you
feel In. doubt as to the matter, if you
should have reason to think that the
census is in accurate allow me to
quote to you some Of the returns from
the last general election. am free
to admit that for the purpose of ap-
portionment the vote is not effective,
but l do claim that the list of votes
cast shows that the census is accur-
ate and that the county of Bottineau
has within it confines sufficient popu-
lation to warrant her in demanding at
your hands two senatorial districts
At the last election there was cast
in Bottineau county for the office of
governor 1905 votes. Bottineau coun-
ty stands fifth in the state so far as
the number Of votes cast is concerned.
There were more votes cast in the
county of Bottineau than in the county
of Barnes, than in the county of Cava-
lier, than in the county of Pembina,
than in the county of Richland, yet
in each Of these counties there has
been allowed two senatorial districts,
while in the county of BOttineau this