, 1907-02-23
A MEASUREMENT OF FACTS.

utterance that is not borne out by the
facts. but in the matter of apportion
ment he appears to have worked him.
self UP into n state bordering on the
hysterical and makes statements that
cannot be verified by the record. He
says:
THE bill that passed both houses
reduces a just representation in he
legislature from Natrona, Crook, Big
Horn, Weston and Converse counties,
all OF which are of the line of the
Union Pacific. and increases h rep-
r~esentation OF Uinta and Laramie
counties, through which the Union Pa.
cifio passes"
Editor Mokler makes this bare state
ment in the face of figures published
elsewhere in this paper absolutely dis.
proving it The representation Of Ma
trona, Crook. Big Horn and Weston
counties was not reduced. On the con-
trary, the representation of Natrona
was not changed and the representa-.
ton Of Big Horn, Crook and Weston
was increased. Again, the representa-
ton Of Laramie county was not increas'
ed. although the actual census figures
entitled 1t to one more member. Uinta
county was increased by w mem
bers and was entitled to three upon
a the basis OF its population. Albany
county was reduced one member and
SO was Converse, and it was right that
they should have been. because they
did not have the population.
There Is absolutely no reason for
u the Natrona Tribune to get hysterical
over the matter. Right Is right. Ma
trona county and Converse county got
all the representation hat was com.
ing to them. The north insisted that
Laramie county and Uinta county
should not have all that belonged to
them. under the census of 1905, but
finally agreed that they should be per.
mitted to choose the northern counties
that should have the two members, Is
1t reasonable to presume that, under
such circumstances, Laramie II Uin
tn would choose two counties that had
been fighting them tooth and nail.
Possibly it would have been in accord
with the true Christian spirit of turning
the other cheek, but most Legislators
are not built that way. Laramie and
Uinta counties did exactly as ninety.
nine people out OF a hundred would
d%o--they CAV the two members that
were unjusuy taken away from them
to counties that had not been fighting
them, Crook and Weston.
The Republican wishes Editor Mok
Ter would take the figures of the cen.
sus Of 1905, upon which the apportion.
ment is based by law, n not the
vote, and give to his readers the ex-
act facts. IL he will do this, he will
prove to them that Laramie and Uinta
counties have one representative each
less than they are actually entitled to;
that Natrona m Converse counties
have the exact representation they are
entitled to and hence have no cause
for complaint, and that Crook and
Weston counties have one representa-
b tive each more than they are entitled
to, thrown to them by favor of Laramie
and Uinta counties.
Thus 1t will be seen that the north
has two more representatives than
equity n a fair deal demands and
that the southern counties have two
representatives less than their fair pro.
portion, and yet the southern counties
are damned and howled at as hogs.
The Douglas Budget looks at the
matter in a little different light from
the Natrona Tribune, as follows:
Great sport to hunt the bear-but
it's another story when the bear takes
q notion to hunt you, as sometimes
happens. For fifteen years Converse
county has had three members of the
legislative house-a representation in
excess of our honest dues as compared
with population at a time N for
several years thereafter, perhaps, but
given us by favor of the Union Pacific
counties and o particularly Lara.
ME and Albany. Today our represen-
tation In the lower house is two mem
bers-the Ninth legislature having cut
us down to that number.
.g. Based on actual population, this re.
duction is unjust and unfair, although
apparently justified by the figures on
which the apportionment was made.
1t is a fact that the census of several
counties vas taken with this end in
view n the figures inflated. while |
ours was on the STRENGTHENING us,
however, an insufficient fraction on
which to claim a third member. But
had our legislative relations with the
counties in control been such as to
claim equitable consideration, we could
have at least held our own, which was
all We asked. Unfortunately We were
In no such position. For several years
past our representatives have persis-
tently fought and always an~tagonized
the people and counties in power
particularly Albany and Laramie
sometimes only a portion of our delega.
ton, but always one or more. 1t was
great sport, this hunting he bear
but finally the bear decided to hunt us,
with the usual result.
ITO deprive us Of a representative
was unfair and unjust, and was oppos.
ed BY our delegation to the last: but
without avail. We were short Of the
nANoocory rnnx,lot;o-