The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-11-21

New York at Albany.
The recent attempt to unset the ap-
portionnent Of 1907, whatever Us par
ticular motive, may unquestionahly
have serious results tor the Republican
party in this state. II the Democrats
were permitted at the next session To
pass n new appnrtlnnment they might
with considerable justification, so far a.
the population il concerned. redistrict
the State in such fashion as TO maxi "a
their hold upon the senate nj loast al
most as good as that o. the Republicans
prior TO the present election.
II is possibly worth while 10 trace the
progress OF New York city at Albany
during recent wears a. shown by the size
OF it's delegations Fifty wears ago un-
der the apportionn"nt of 1855 the four
counties now included in this city had
but seven of the thirtv-two Senators.
Ten years later their share was nine. at
the next apportionment twelve, Mt the
next fifteen, and in 1892 the city had tif-
teen of the thirtv-two members, and to
continue Republican control il was nee
essary TO enlarg" tn. Senate 10 fifty
members In this larger body the city 8
share was twenty on" under the appor-
tionment of 1884. Thirteen years later
under the law OF 1917 tie C.ty : Senators
numbered twcutv-two in body oi fifty
one, or four less than a majority.
In the same period The growth of the
New York city delegation in the Assem-
bly, was propOrrionat"ly rapid. In 1857
the four counties. Kings. New York
Queens and RlohmoNt elected twenty
seven OF the rs members of the lower
house. in 1895. th-tv-thr"e: in $50
thirtv-nine. IN 1892. tttv-two Then the
lower house vas enlarged and in 1894
the four counties chose sixty of the / ~
members At III" last appOr'ionment
this number was increased TO sixty
three. or thirteen less than ma jority.
Looking over the figures of the sem
ate for the half century il will be seen
that between 1853 and 1907 the territory
now included within this civ increased
its representation from seven torwenty-
two. while the rest If the state added
four members. New York thus ac-
quired fifteen of the nineteen seats
added Ia tho Senate by appointments
OF the four gained up State. Erie county,
including Buffalo. took two; Monroe,
with Rochester, one. and one was al
lotted in the Encouragement OF o her
counties
II is in the Assembly. however. that
the real extent OF the growth Of city
IN - ,l,a,1.. IL
Thus between 1857 and 1877 the four
counties of New York city gained thirty
six members. while twenty On.. Ip-
State counties lost n member apiece
and ono county lost rwo. Three coun-
ties, Erie, Monro. and Westchester.
made gains of five. two and one re-
spectively; the creation OF the county
Of Nassau also added one As twenty
two seats were added by apportionment
the net loss of the UP State was fourteen
members
rhe last Federal census showed the
ma jority of the population of the State
TO bo south of IN" lonkcrs line At the
next Stat. CenzlIs five wears from now.
this superiority III numbers OF the city
able. Even if m" Republicans have by
that time reSared control of all branches
OF the State government the problem Of
checking the growth of the city dele
CATION NJ IN" expense OF the country
will be- difficult ndcr Democratic con-
troll, on the contrary. the passage Of
an porrionment which will make the
Senate If not the Assembly easily de
batabl" il certain
For ~" frs tim" in many wears.
moreover. the majority OF IA" lcgIsla-
tors Of tins city next wear wI.l bc nom
beers of ~" majority ia both horI-a-
They will III fact max" UP IN" majority
Of the majority, that is fifty-onc of the
Democratic membership of righ,v-six
in the Assembly and twcnty-one Of the
thirty IN N" senate. IN spite Of rradi-
ton therefore. il i clear that IN. city
is slowly coming into its own in the
State.