The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1909-11-19
East Fiahts for Electoral Vote.

East Fights for Electoral Vote.
Washington, Nov. 13.-Already the
politicians are looking forward with
interest to the taking of the census,
next spring-the democrats with more
or less complacency and satisfaction I;
the republicans with more or less
anxiety, for If the census should de-
mand a rearranging of the electoral
college, and a shifting of number
of its votes, the republican party
would be more likely to lose than the
democratic party.
The census for 1910 will determine
for ten years the membership of the
house of representatives, and also
of the electoral college. In none of
the north Atlantic states, where the
republican party is strong, has there
been, since 1900 any large increase
in population; in fact, in some of the
smaller of these states population has
been for ten years almost at a stand
still. But in the west and the south
west, the former uncertain politically,
and the latter strongly democratic, the
population gains have been very con-
siderable.
or course, the basis of representa-
ton in the house will be changed as
the result of the next census, and in
stead of their being one member for
each block of 194,1S2 inhabitants, it
will undoubtedly be one for each
block of considerably more than 20O,-
900. A house based on the present
ratio would mean an increase of about
seventy-five in the membership, which
is undesirable for several reasons, and
also out of the question considering
the present crowded condition of the
house chamber.
Should there be an increase of the
ratio, so as to retain the same num-
of members as the present, 391, a
of the Missouri, excepting possibly
Michigan, Minnesota and the Dakotas,
probably would lose one or more of
their present representation. 1t is
in this territory that the republican
party wins its presidential battles.
been mentioned would result in gains
in membership in several of the states
of the south, among them Alabama,
Georgia, Texas and Oklahoma, all
democratic strongholds. There also
probably would be gains in the north
west, notably in the neighborhood of
Puget sound, and in Minnesota and
the states near it. Other gains prob
ably will appear in several of the in
termountain regions, broadly speak
ing, are not reliably republican, al
though in most cases leaning in that
direction.
1t is thought such as these that are
causing republican politicians more
or less anxiety. Cutting off repre-
sentation from such republican states
as Ohio, Iowa, Michigan, Wisconsin,
Pennsylvania, New York and Massa-
chusetts, to say nothing of Indiana,
which since free silver times, and I'M
til last year and this, has been reli-
ably republican, and giving it to Ala.
bama, Georgia, Texas, Oklahoma. per-
haps to Missouri, and to some of the
politically uncertain states of the in
termountain and northwest regions
might possibly mean a reversal of af-
fairs and the election of democratic
president in 1912, for it is assumed
that other things being equal the new
apportionment will be made by con-
gress prior to that time. The reap
portionment following the census of
1900 was made in 1903, and it would
have been made earlier had a pres
idential election been at hand. The
count will be made next spring of all
the inhabitants, and the census bureau
will have all of the totals made up
for the use of the session of congress
which will meet the following Deem
Der.
Speaking conservatively, the addi-
to the south, and the taking away of
a like number from the sure republican
states Of the north and east, probably
would make the next presidential
election very interesting affair, re
CARELESS of the candidates and the
issues. Especially will this be true if
existing republican dissatisfaction
should continue in some of the re-
publican states of the central west,
notably Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa,
Kansas and Nebraska.
East VS.. South and West.
Viewed from any standpoint, the
situation is one sufficiently serious to
cause republicans to sit up and take
notice.
Politicians in the east have already
been figuring on the next ratio of
representation. They are DESTROYS of
shaping affairs so that their section
shall lose as little as possible in the
house and the electoral college.
Should combination as to this ques-
ton of ratio be formed between the
south and the west, of which there
is at this early day some talk, it
would easily defeat the plans of the
east, and that would still further add
to the gravity of the situation, from
the republican viewpoint.
AS throwing an interesting sidelight
on the question of political uncertain
ty now existing, and alluded to pre-