Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1910-07-14
The DEMOCRACY'S
GROWING SHAME
By Unjust Legislative AppOtisnment The
Great white Counties of the Southwest
are Robbed Of Their Just Share of
Representation in The Virginia
General Assembly.

cans of the great Southwest. It shows
how the white men of the Ninth district
are legislated against in the interest of
Democratic office-holders in the Eastern
part of the State, and furnishes food
Tor solemn and serious thought to all
who believe in the square deal. The
article is republished by request, and is
as follows:
VI the many grievous sins the parti-
san Virginia Democracy have commit
ted against the people of the Ninth
District none is more fragrant than the
enactment OF the present, existing leo
lslative apportionment. This appo1-
tlonment has robbed the people of the
Ninth District of their lust share of
representation in the General Assem-
bly,. And one of Mr.. II. c. Stuart's
most vicious political sins was the Civ
ing OF his sanction as a representative
OF bis people to the outrage. This he
dlo by voting to place in the Constitu-
ton ana afterwards signing that instru-
ment the following:
Sec az. The apportionment of the
State into senatorial and house districts
made by the acts of the General Assem-.
ply, approved April the second. nine
teen hundred and two, is hereby adopt-
ed; but a re-apportionment may be
made IN the year nineteen hundred and
Six, and shall be made in the wear nine
teen hundred and twelve. and every
tenth year thereafter"
1t will be observed that this section
OF the Constitution makes no suooes-
tons or provisions for an equitable an
portionment of the State into senate
rial and house districts. Upon the con-
trary, it adopts, ratifies and confirms
the disgracefully unfair appointment
made by Democratic General Assem-
Oily about two months previous to the
completion and proclamation of the
constitution. Why didn't the Constitu-
tlonal Convention write in Sec. 43 the
same equitable and honest provisions
that they placed in Sec. SIS? This latter
section, in providing for the apportion-
ment of the State into Congressional
districts says: (Which districts shall
be composed Of contiguous and compact
territory, containing as nearly as prac-
ticable, an equal number of inhabi-
tants"
The legislative apportionment of
April End, 1902, completely ignores in
habltants as a basis and violates the
fundamental principle of republican
government, equal and Just representa-
ton for all citizens. We will give a
few Illustrations of the enormities of
the legislative apportionm' mt in Vir-
ginla, to show how the Ninth District
and the other white mountain sections
OF the State have been robbed.
Inc Ninth Congressional District, by
the census of 1900 had 2O3. 39I white
inhabitants and 1876 colored inhabi-
tants. The ubiquitous apportiopment
of 1902 gives to the thirteen great white
counties of the Ninth District State
Senators and IL members of the House
of Delegates.
The Sixth Congressional District,
made up of six counties and two cities,
is given by this apportionment mem
bers Of the House of Delegates and 81
State Senators. According to the CEN
sus of 1900 this district had a popula-
ton OF 112,317 whites and 68, 4S8 color
ed people.
The Fourth Congressional District.
The Black Belt" of Virginia with
79, O66 whites and los, 963 coiored popu-
lation is given State Senators and 81
members of the House of Delegates.
Thus has one white man in the Sixth
Congressional District been given q
value equal to two white men in the
Ninth, and one white man in the Fourth
been apportloned as much representa-
ton as three white men in the Ninth
District.
| Another illustration will be found in
connection with Senatorial districts:
| The county of Halifax with 1922
whites and 49, 75 colored inhabitants
is made Senatorial district, is given
one Senator and two members of the
House of Delegates.
The Third Senatorial District is com.
posed Of the counties of Buchanan.
Dickinson, Russell and Tazewell. The
district had, by census of 1900. 81. 44S
whites and A, 35l negroes. Thus it will
be seen that the four great counties OF
Buchanan, Dickinson, Russell (Mr.
Stuart's county, and Tazewell with 54,
443 white inhabitants are given the same
representation in the State Senate
that is given the county of Halifax
with its IL, 1922 whites. And it must be
noted that Mr.. Stuart adopted and rat.
lhed this outrageous discrimination
against his own people, whereby one
| white man In Halifax county has beer
valued at more than three times as
much as white man in the counties OF
Buchanan, Dickinson, Russell and Taze.
well.
Another illustration: The two coun,
ties of Amherst and Nelson are made {
Senatorial district. They have q. 21(
white inhabitants and IL, 729 colored
They are given one State Senator anc
two members of the House of Dele.
gates.
The three great counties of Scott
Lee and Wise are made the Second Sen
etorial District. In 1900 these countie.
had 58,87l white people and 1881 color
ed inhabitants. These counties are Civ.
en- one Senator and "a members of the
House of Delegates.
The apportionment which was adopt
ed into the Constitution with the aid o.
Mr.. Stuart has thus given the white
men of Amherst and Nelson three time.
as much value as is given to the whit,
men of Scott, Lee and Wise
Now as to the apportionment int
house districts.
The little county of Appomatox 9TH,
home of Hal Flood, big Machine man
with 5, 731 whites and 1851 blacks. Il
given a member of the House of Dele
gates. The great white counties O,
Buchanan and Tazewell are made int,
one house district and are given on,