The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-11-18
BIG TASK BEFORE
next LEGISLATURE
Reapportionment of Congres-
sional and Legislative
Districts Up.
COTHROUCH RED TAPE
Increase in Population Makes
1t Necessary to Readjust
the Districts.
GO THROUGH RED TAPE

indianapolis. Nov. 1s.-Perhaps the
MOTT delicate of all the questions to
come before the next legislature will
be the matter Of making legislative
reapportionment- of the state. The
new census shows such large in
creases In population in some OF the
counties that they Will be entitled to
larger representation and 1t will be up
to the legislature to redistrict the state
in such manner as to meet this condi-
ton.
Not only will the legislature have to
make legislative reapportionment,
but 1t will also have on hand the task
OF redistricting the state into congress
sional districts. AS the matter now
stands. Indiana will still be entitled
to 13 members of congress. Under
the federal law congress determines
the number of congressman to which
each state is entitled. But II is the
duty of the legislature to make the
districts. Congress fixes the repres-
entation according to the population
of the state. 1t may increase or re-
duce the basis of representation and
in this way increase or reduce the
number Of representatives in congress
to which each state shall be entitled.
Legislature Forms Districts.
But when congress has determined
the basis of representation the legisla-
lures of the various states tackle the
task of forming the districts, and this
is where trouble comes, for the party
in power in the legislature always tries
so to group the counties as to make as
many districts of it's own political
complexion as possible.
When the Indiana legislature takes
UP the work of redistricting the state
1t will find its greatest trouble in the
northern half of the state. where there
are some close districts and where
the only remaining Republican district
the Tenth-is found 1t is under
stood that an effort will be made SO to
form the Tenth district as to either
throw into 1t every possible Republi-
can county. thus making 1t overwhelm-
ingly Republican anu taking Republi-
can counties out of other districts. or
else taking out some of the Republic
an counties and putting In some Demo
cratic counties SO as to make the dis
trict Democratic. In either event
there will come a yell from the Tenth
district and any other district which
may be affected by the re-districting
for the dominant party in each district
will seek to look out for itself.
One idea suggested is to cut off Tip
pecanoe county for the Tenth and add
1t to the Ninth. taking out Howard or
Hamilton from the Ninth and adding
them to the Eighth. OF course. this
would raise q rumpus in the Ninth and
in the Eighth, becarse it would make
at least one of them a Republican
district.
And so it will go When the legisla-
ture takes up this subject. 1t is ad-
mittedly a difficult matter to reappor-
ton a state in such manner as to
stand the test of constitutionality in
the courts. A re-apportionment bill
which would practically deprive any
county of fair representation would
be held unconstitutional.
| The same is true of the legislative
reapportionment. Under the new cen
sus Lake county. which now has one
entative. will be entitled to three rep
resentatives in the house. ST. Joseph
county will be entitled to three repres.
entatives instead of the two represen-
tatives and one joint representative
which 1t has now. Marion county also
will gain a representative in the
house.
| Constitution Fixes Membership.
The membership of the state senate
Is fixed by the state constitution at So
and that of the house at 100. These
must be apportioned to the various
counties in such manner as to make
the representation as nearly equal as
possible according to population. The
party in power always seeks SO to ar
range the districts as to assure the
election of a majority of the represen
tatives of its own fai,a.
Already the Democrats are gather
ing data and information for use in
the preparation of a re-apportionment
All OF this information will be placed
in the hands of committee whose
members are familiar with the politi
cal conditions in all of the counties
yand this committee VIII be expected to
whip into shape a bill which will be
satisfactory to the Democrats and
which will stand the test Of constitu
tionality.