The Marshall republican., 1910-07-22
The Senatorial Situation

A provisio Of Section Z OF Article
4 of the constitution gives to the
Governor, the Acknowledgement
and the Secretary of State au-
thoTdty to apportion senatorial
districts after each decennial
census lin case the legislature fails
OF refuses to pass a redistricting
bill.
No legislature since the consti-
tuition was adopted has been found
willing to agree to such gerryman
der of the districts as Democratic
party leaders demanded in 1881,
1891, and 1901. Democratic party
leaders have always manage ed Hnhe
matter So as to have the Senate
defeat bills for redistricting and
let the three State Officials named
arrange and proclaim a gerrymsn-
der guaranteeing the election of
Ewenty one to twenty-three Demo
cratic senators, leaving it possible
for the Republicans to elect not
more than thirteen. The Senate
has had a Democratic member
ship of more than twenty since
1881 under this legislative trick.
Although the Republicans have
elected a majority of the MEM
beers of the House of Representa-
tives several times in late years,
and Though their majority in
thdt body elected a United States
Senator in 1905 and although they,
have twice in succession carried
the state electing five state Of
ficers and a member of the Su-
preme Court in 1904 and electing
the Governor and Lieutenant Gov
ieu,nor in 1908, the Democratic ma
jority in the Senate has been main
TANNED, with only. slight variation,
as a result Of the gerrymandering
of senatorial districts made pos
sible by the provision of section
seven.
y No wonder, therefore, that At
tomey General Major and Secre-
tary OF State, Roach were found
,ready Ito fight the proposed amend
ment to the constitution which
knocks out the provision of section
seven and r%edistricts the state by
a vote OF the people. Those two
|. officials, will have the privilege of.
'gerrymamder the senatorial dis
ttricts in 1911 if section seven e
mains in force, for the Democratic
senate will hardly agree to- any
redistricting bill that will reduce
the Democratic majority in that
body. The House is quite sure to
be Republican in 1911 and, unless
the people rise I'm their might and
elect Republicans in some of the
gerrymsndered districts-as they
ought ito do-the Senate will be
Democratic. Under such condi-
tions the Democrats must, and un-
doubtedly will look to Major and
Roach Ito make the gerrymander
in 1911 under which the Senate
may be held by them ten years
longer.
I'm case the three state Officers
are charged with the redistrcting
Governor Hadley cannot hope to
restrain the two Democratic Of
ficials, and should he refuse to
approve and proclaim such gerry
mander as they may arrange the
Democratic Supreme Court will be
ait their service to compel the
proclamation.
If the people can be brought
to understand this situation they
will better understand why Gov
ernor Hadley suggested the pro-
posed constitutional amendment
and why he wants it submitted to
a Vote of the people; and they
will also understand clearly why
Major and Roach and their Demo-
cratic co-worRers we're SO zealous
i'm efforts to prevent the submis-
sion of this amendment, for which
$4,000 qualified voters petitioned
and which the best newspapers
and THE best citizens of the state
approved.
t.