Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-06

all who have the interests of our state at
heart"
That defines his political policy quite
clearly and ne is now trying to work out
the details in a manner that is not entirely
agreeable to the republican majority in the
legislature, or the "old guard" as they call
themselves. I wrote you the other day
about the forcible manner in which he put
through the radical bill, to regulate the
corpora tons and his determination to set
tie the dispute over the recent election TOT
mayor by recounting the ballots He no"
proposes to pass a law reapportioning the
legislative districts of the state on popu-
lation basis rather than for political ad-
vantage.
The Proposed Reapportionment.
The court of appeals not long ago de-
cided that the present arrangement Of sena-
torial districts Is unconstitutional because
Of Irregularities in the first district. which
takes in Staten Island and the thirteenth.
which is in lower New York city. Accord
ing to the conventional custom, the legls-
lature, having a republican majority, d.
vided the state into senatorial and assem-
bly, districts to prolong its power. 1t
crowded all the heavy democratic wards
into the same district and threw as many
republican precincts as possible into the
doubtful ones. This practice is traditional
and is usually accepted by the party out
of power, but the gerrymander was over
done in the two districts named an appeal
was made to the court, and the entire law
was declared null and void. :.
1t was the intention of the committees OF
the legislature having Jurisdiction over this
subject to readjust the boundaries or the
first and thirteenth districts so as to COM
ply with the order of the court without
taking any farther political risks than were
absolutely necessary, but, to their astonish-
ment, Gov. Hughes declared that the en-
tire state should be reapportioned In fair
and rational manner on a population basis,
as evenly as could be done without divid-
ing counties At present some Of the sena-
toral districts have only $1,000 population,
while others have as high as $4,000. Gov
Hughes informed the legislature that this
was not right or fair and recommended
that the entire state should be redstricted
upon the basis Of about $4,000 to the dis
trict more or less. which is fair average
He declares that the duty of the Legislature
is clearly defined by the constitution. and
that nothing like political or personal ad-
vantages should be allowed to interfere
with that duty. Also, he is quite clear as
to his own duty. He has recommended in
formal message to the legislature "a
perfectly fair apportionment in accordance
with the letter and the spirit of the
stitution;" "the passage of a new appor-
tionment act which will redistrict the state
so as to- provide such equality of represen-
taton as can be had under the consttu-
tional provisions. and of such character as
to be of unQuestioned validity and COM
mend itself to the intelligent judgment of
the people"
The "Old Guard" Disguised.
At first 1.-The old guard" the repub-
lican stalwarts call themselves, thought it
was a good joke. They We're very much
amused at the cunning of the governor In
assuming such high-minded and impair
tial attitude, and the GOODNESS with which
he discarded the usual political advantages
to be found in an apportionment of election
districts, but when they discovered that he
was in dead earnest, and was determined
to sacrifice all those political advantages
to mere mathematical average in the ap-
portionment, they could not restrain their
disgust. But the governor was like ada
mant. Neither arguments nor entreaties
would move him and there ne stands today.
One of the republican leaders who has a
great deal of discretion and diplomacy told
me that the governor Is too sentimental:
that he is an idealst and not a practical
politician, and will probably get over it
when he had little more experience. My
friend remarked that the golden rule is all
right when everybody plays 1t. but 1t isn't
q profitable game If played alone. and the
governor would find out that fact sooner
or later.
Favors Home Rule for Cities.
Other illustrations Of the character and
policy Of Gov. Hughes found in his
treatment of other measures Of political
import. There has been an epidemic in
the New York legislature during the last