Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1910-02-14

NoSSS anu W dSuiuS ION cdCu. 4 ne
States OF Arkansas. Florida, Kansas,
Louisiana. Maryland, Mississippi.
Montana, North Carolina. North Da-
kota. Oregon. Rhode Island. South
Carolina, South Dakota, Utah and
West Virginia will each gain one.
The remaining States will have the
same number as before.
There are some critics but they
are MT in Congress, who believe
that as 457 representatives would be
unwieldy, that the apportionment
should be based on a larger number.
say 225O00 BY using this number
the membership OF the House would
only be increased four giving the
House a membership OF 1894 The
House has a membership OF 391. I'm
der such an appOrtionment Kansas,
Maine. Nebraska. Vermont and Vir-
ginia would lose representative. an
II Is safe 10 say that the delegates
from these States, would raise
strenuous objection TO this Under
this apportionment only seven States
would gain, namely New York and
Oklahoma , each, and Illinois, Min
nesota. New Jersey, Pennsylvania,
and Texas one apiece.
If lhis apportionment should be
made, in order TO quiet the opposi-
ton TO it Congress would probably
fnllnu- H. ,F
additional representative at large to
those States whose growth and pop
ulation has not kept pace with the
IL would be possible that some or
the Middle West States as Michigan,
Indiana. and Ohio, would lose one
representative each. Immigration 10
Canada and the westward movement
OF population from the Middle West
are responsible for the slow increase
in population OF these States. With
IN the past decade more than 100000
Americans have immigrated to Cam
ada, and this loss is not Offset by the
! comparatively small number OF
| Canadians who have come into the
United States, principally into Ma So
chusetts and New York
The membership in Congress has
steadily increased since the first
census in 1890. with one exception.
At the time Of taking the fifth Gems
us, in 1880, Congress had PAP mem
bers; after that Census the number
was aDportioned at 232. loss OF ten
members. But an increase began
after the seventh census. taken in
1850, which has steadily grown with
each succeeding census. until the pre-
sent membership was reached
Even the best political prophets
in Congress are unable TO prognosu-
cate the probable political complex
ION Of the House after the new mem
bers come in. None can say at pre-
sent whether the new apportlonment
will result in Republican or Demo
cratic advantage,
OF course the new census Will show
great increase in population. bust
ness and resources OF the country
generally but the bureau officials at
this date are without enough adj
vance information to inteligently
estimate what these increases Will be.
In the matter OF manufacturers they
believe that this census will show a
| smaller ratio Of increase than pre-
vious census, owing TO the tendency
in the west ten years ago toward con
solidation OF big businesses and the
Capitalization OF capital by great cor
porations. Every previous census
has shown an increase OF about 50
per cent, I'm the number OF factories.
Last census showed about G.OOO 900
! farms. 1t is believed these have in-
creased during the past ten y-ars at
] least 100000