Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-12-15
MUCH CONFUSION IN STATES
WHERE REPRESENTATION
Is CHANGED.
POLITICAL uPHEAvALs MAY
INVOLVE LOSING STATES
Failure Of Legislatures to Comply
With Law Would Result in Entire
peIsaation Being Chosen From State
.t Larae - Iowa Among States Ex-
n.e.ed to Lose One Member.
Especial Correspondence

Especial Correspondence
WASHINGTON, Dec. 15.-Members OF
congress who are devoting themselves
to the subject of reapportionment based
on the new census figures. have come
to the conclusion that there will be
considerable confusion in. the states
which will lose one or more representa-
tives in the event that congress decides
to make the representation on the ratio
of one member of the house for each
225.000 OF population.
Under the law the states are required
to redistrict at the first session follow
ing q decennial census. The legisla-
lures thruout the country are expected
to take up this work without delay.
There Is possibility that some Of the
legislatures may not be able to agree
upon the method Of redistricting. In
the case Of the states which will be en-
titled to Increased representation dis
agreement would result in the election
of representatives-at-l In the
states which lose one or more repre-
sentatives. however. the situation is en-
tirely different and one that may lead
to political upheavals. In these states
the failure Of the legislatures to redis-
trict would mean that the entire con-
gressional delegation would have to be
elected at large. This, Of course, would
sweep away the lines which had been
drawn by discriminating legislatures
with view In gerrymandering votes
for the benefit Of a particular party.
Among the states which are expected to
lose representatives IL the ratio is fix
ed at 235.000 are: Indiana, Iowa, Mis-
souri,, Illinois. Wisconsin, Kansas.
Maine. Maryland, Nebraska, North Car
olina. Ohio, Tennessee and Virginia. II
ono or two u these states failed upon
redistrictin9 legislation. thus necessi-
tating the election Of all members OF
the house at large, instead Of by dis
tricts. managers Of the congressional
campaigns would be completely at sea
and such a situation might very easily
swing the control Of the house from one
party to another. or. give the party In
power an overwhelming majority.
Champ Clarke's election as speaker
Of the house when the democrats come
into control Of that body one year
hence has been taken for granted be-
cause Of his service as minority lead
er and because Of the belief that when
a congressional election changes a mi
nority into q majority the leader of
the minority IS almost Invariably pro-
moted to the office Of speaker.
Democratic members of the house
who are working for committee on
committees. and who have been look
ing into the history Of the house have
come morose some interesting infor-
nation which tends to keep them from
being discouraged when confronted
with assertions that Mr.. Clark already
has more than enough votes pledged to
him to make him speaker Of the Sixty
second congress. A search Of the rec
Ords OF the house discloses the inter-
esting fact that minority or party
leaders who have been promoted to the
speakers chair have been the excep-
tions rather than the rule.
Speaker Cannon furnishes the most
recent illustration Of the fact that
members who lead their party on the
floor are seldom elevated to the speak1
ership. Representative Serene r.
Payne. of New York. was the repub-
lican floor leader when a republican
caucus was called for the purpose Of
elected a speaker to succeed David B.
Henderson, and was believed to be the
logical man for the place. Mr.. Can
non, however, who was serving as
chairman Of the committee on appro-
priatiOns was elected as Henderson's
successor.
Mr.. Henderson furnished another IL
lustration of the fact that party lead
ers do not become speakers. At the
time he was elected Nelson Dingley, Of
Maine. was the leader Of the republic
cans on the floor Of the house. The
same conditions prevailed at the time
Thomas Reed was elected speaker. At
that time Major Mckinley, of Ohio.
was the republican floor leader, and
altho believed to be the logical man
for the speakership Reed was elected.
Crisp was elected speaker when Mills
was the party leader; Carlisle was
elected speaker when Randall was
the party leader: Kerr was elected
speaker when Randall was the party
leader. but Randall finally succeeded
to the speakership when Kerr died
during his term Of Office. This was
one Of the few exceptions to the rule.
He was party leader on the floor and
he was elected to the speakership. In
the congress Immediately preceding
Blaines eelction. however, Stevens, the
6arty leader, was defeated for the
Spcakership by Grow, and In the con-
gress before that John Sherman, party
leader, was defeated for the speaker
ship by Pennington.
Il win be seen. therefore. that If
Champ Clark is elected speaker Of the
house for the Sixty-Second congress,
he viii go down in history as one Of
the very few leaders Of minority who
was able to hold a sufficient number
sf his followers to permit his election
% .kc sceekership as soon as his party
Nane into power.