Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1910-11-26
DEMOCRATS MAY
Get The SENATE
Can Do Il By The Gerrymander
In 8 States. New Census
Opens Way.
From Baltimore American CRepl

From Baltimore American Repl
One of the results that may follow
the landslide Of last Tuesday in which
the Democrats captured eight addition
al senators is the opportunity granted
the Democratic party in the eight states
in which they have been victorious to
redistrict the states. The present APP
portionment in New York, New Jersey,
West Virginia, Maine. Indiana. Ohio.
Nebraska and Missouri was made by
Republican legislatures. and appoint
ment was made in every case with
superior ability.
Indeed, it was the boast of the state
leaders in New York. New Jersey,
WestVirginia and some Of the other
states that the party could lose the
governor by overwhelming majorities
and yet save the legislature, so skill
fully had the legislative districts been
fashioned. Thus. for instance, it has
been the pride of the West virginia,
Republicans, that the Democrats could
elect their governor by go, 900 majority
and yet fail to captr the legislature.
This year, however. IN West Virginia
as in all the other states that have gone
so pitifully wrong the Democratic party
has elected its legislature even without
rolling an excessive majority for the
ticket.
What the Democratic legislatures
will do in these various states will be
wonder in gerrymandering. There is
no room for indignant protest at this
practice for the Republican legisla-
lures have performed some feats in the
judicious creation Of districts which the
Democrats may well study with envy
and admiration. The Democratic legis-
latures have the best excuse for enter
ing upon this program of wholesale
gerrymandering. for. by the Constitution
of the United States. every state must
proceed to reapportion into congress
sional districts at the first legislative
session after the taking of the dccen-
nial census.
AS the census has just been taken. the
legislatures in New York, New Jersey,
West Virginia and all other states must.
Of course, proceed at once to the reap
portionment of the congressional dis
tricts, and they will not fail to take ad-
vantage of this plain constitutional
duty to entrench themselves in power
for many years to come. so far as gerry
Wandering state will help them.
From the national standpoint the
gerrymandering of the states may
threaten Republican supremacy in the
United States Senate. AS it is now the
Senate will be Republican by only a
majority of s. when such men as Messrs.
Cummins, Nelson, Clapp. Poindexter,
Townsend and LaFollette are placed in
the Republican column. II the eight
legislatures, which will gerrymander
their states next winter, succeed in
creating condition, which the Republi-
cans connot overcome at the next legis-
lative election, it is easy to see that
Republican control of the Senate win be
lost. II is true that two of these states,
namely, Indiana and Missouri, have
already one Democratic senator, but if
the remaining six legislatures send
Democrats to succeed the present Re-
publican senators, the Senate would
stand 4S Democrats to A Republicans,
giving the Democrats control of the
Senate by strong working majority.
and making possible an alliance between
the Democrats and the progressives
which would make the little handful Of
Republicans still remaining in the Sem
ate utterly incapable of any constructive
action.