The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1910-07-23
ZEE cENsus AND LEE HOUSE.
Republicans Fear More Democratic Con
gressmeu.

"A highly important factor III the fight
for control of the next House OF Rep.
fesentatiyes, which 50 far has scarcely
been mentioned ID public, but has been
given much quiet attention by the lead
ers OF both parties, is the possibility
81 congressional seats, rendered neccs'
sary by the present census, may not be
accomplished AZ this winters short ses'
sion, but may 50 over to the first sen
sion Of the new Congress.
This contingency Is foreseen as not
improbable result OF a sharp clash and
deadlock between Republicans and
Democrats this winter over the terms
Of the new apportionment. Such clash
viii come, with d good chance Of re-
sultant deadlock, il the Republican Lead
ers attempt to put through an appor.
tionment act which will give them a
partisan advantage and deprive Demo.
cratic states 81 the South and Southwest
of the benefits that should accrue to
them politically as a result Of heavy
increases in population.
In The House the Democrats would
be powerless to prevent passage Of the
apportionmcnt bin unless the nsugent
Republicans should Join them in fight.
ing II. But there Is no rea son TO ex-
pect the Republican insurgents will DO
this. They will no doubt become loyal
pa~tarans when the time comes for
action on apportionment. But in the
Senate the Democrats could, by a de-
termined hllmster, prevent the passage
of an apportionmcnt bill IN the short
session, should the nature Of the bill
brought forward by the majority prove
highly Questionable. This would send
appoftionment over 10 the new Congress.
Hence Il viii be Of very great import
ance. ON this score, as on many others,
for the Democracy 90 capture controi
Of a majority Of the seata in the next
House.
The Republicans fully realize this, and
FL IL one Of the most effective arga-
ments they will have 70 put before the
voters Of their party this fall to keep
them in line for the Republican mons
inecs
Under the constitution Congress Is
obligated to make fresh apportionmeut
Of Representatives following each deeeH-
NAL cennla The constant growth Of
population has Jed to a steady increase
IN the number Of members of the House
although the basis Of representation al.
80 has been steadily increased. Had not
the latter been done the membership
Of the House would By this time have
become 80 large that the bodN would
have become altogether unwieldy. As
result Of the present census there
wiz, II an probability. be another in
crease in the basis Of representation.
The Republican leaders in Congress
favor making the increase in the basis
Of representation heavy one, 40 that
the increase in the number Of members
Of the House under the new app0rtion-
ment will be small They believe il
win be TO their partisan advantage TO
allow but small additional number Of
members. for the reason that some OF
the heaviest gains in population are
expected in the Democrntic states Of the
South and West Texas. for instance
Is expected to gain 50 much IN popula
ton That she would Be entitled to ioui
additional members Of the House, and
perhapa five, If the present basis Of rep
reservation we're retained. Oklahoma is
also certain 20 make phenomenal gains
in population, while the growth 81 Ala
bama and Georgia will be large, and
entjtle both Of them to more seats in
the House, unless TIE basis Of repre-
sentation is largely swelled
But increasing the basis Of repre-
sentation will have It's disadvantages as
well as It's advantage for the Republi-
sans. Tt WIN no doubt lead to some
iosses Of members b. the New England
states and prevent Increase IN the Repuh
liean states of the middle West, where
the growth Of population in the last 10
years has not been heavy. But the Re
puolicana figure that even with an en-
lareed basis Of representation they viii
min some seats IN the Rocky noun
tain states, IN the Northwest and on
the coast The leaders favor holding
The membership Of the House under the
new apportionment down to 4e0 or 4l0
7t me outside. The present member
ship is SOL
To hold the new membership down TO
tla viii neceseitate lifting the basis Of
from the present figure 81 I
about 100000 to 225000 This is on the
supposition that the total population
II the country as shown BY the new
isnsus viii be about 00G00,001. as pre-
lieted BY the census experts Washing |
ton despatch to Philadelphia Record