The Columbus weekly dispatch., 1907-03-14


State in order to equalize the matters
of assessments, school fund appor-
tionment and representation in the
legislature, has just been made pub
lie. 1t is from the pen of Hon. Henry
Mounger. of Columbia, State SENATOR
and has been approved by the exec
utive council as setting forth the
views of the people of this part of the
State with reference to the subject
of which it treatS-that is, represen-
tation in the legislature. This paper
will be followed by many others, and
all will be published in pamphlet
form for general distribution. The
paper is as follows:
The several counties in the State
should be given representation in the
legislature approximately in proper
ton to their population.
This is a government by the peo-
Pile Although representation in
form, it is just as much a govern
pie in the State should meet at one
time in one place and each and all
should participate personally in the
enactment of laws and in performing
the various acts of government. 1t
is impossible for all the people ever
to meet together. The only way all
could ever participate in a general
council would be for some to be pres
ent by proxy. Necessity, therefore,
makes it a representative govern
ment In such a council it would
be impossible for each person to have
a proxy exclusively his own, but one
person, in council, must represent
many persons not present. 1t would
likewise be impossible for each rep
resentative to speak and vote the in
dividual sentiment of each one for
whom he might appear as proxy, but
his voice would have to be the united
voice of all, and he would have no
vote for all by casting one vote alone.
A representative, by reason of this
necessary condition, becomes a unit,
an equal of each, but not greater than
any of his fellows, in saying what
shall be enacted. Since this is true,
each representative ought to appear
or be a proxy, as nearly as may be,
for the same number Of persons as
each other representative appears or
acts as proxy for. In other words,
the representatives should be divided
among the whole people equally.
ono aitizar1 would baua
as much voice in the government as
another, and the government would
not be a government by the people,
but it would be instead a government
by some of the people. When more
than 0,000 people, citizens of Perry
county, have only one vote in the
house of representatives, and less
than so, 600 persons, citizens of Mar
shall county, are given three votes in
the same body, the people of Perry
are denied an equal voice in the gov
ernment. When 10000 people, citi-
zens of the second senatorial district,
composed of the counties of Green,
Wayne, Jones and Perry, have only
one vote in the senate, while approx
imately $4,000 persons, citizens Of
Alfalfa, have one vote in the same
body, the people of Green. Wayne,
Jones and Perry are denied an equal
voice in the government. To deny
them an equal voice in the govern
from denying them any voice at all.
If the county or section is given only
one-half or one-third the representa-
tion to which it is entitled, such coun-
ty or section can demand its rights
only with a feeble voice, and is in
little better condition than if it had
been given no voice at all. 1t is lit
orally like man who goes into a
fight with only one arm, or like a
soldier who charges a breastworks of
Representation in proportion to
population is the correct rule, not
only because in theory it is so, but
also because in its practical operation
it is the wisest and best. 1t has its
foundation in justice. No other log
ical rule can be deduced from the
theory of our government. But in
addition to this, representation in
proportion to property values, to bus
mess activity, TO taxes paid, to the
need for representation. and TO the
capacity to furnish the proper kind.
As rule, an increase in population
is attended by an increase of property
values, increase of business activity,
increase in the kinds of industries
and increase of capacity and intelli
gence among the people. This means