The St. Lucie County tribune. (Fort Pierce, St. Lucie County, Fla.) 1905-1920, 1910-11-18

OF VICTORY
Elections Last Week More Than
a Temporary Triumph
DEMOCRATS IN CONTROL
viii Reapportion and Redistrict Entire
COuntry-May Gerymander Several
of the Big Republican States

Democratic success last Tuesday in
the congressional and legislative cleo
tions really meant more for the party's
future than victory in a presidential
year. 1t was more than a temporary
triumph, and if the party plays its cards
right, the fruits of the elections may be
enjoyed for many years to come.
Last Tuesdays elections means that
a Democratic congress will reapportiOn
the country, under the thirteenth CEN
sus, and that Democratic legislatures
will redstrict at least ten big states
that have heretofore been Republican.
The Democratic party in congress
will decide whether the apportionment
Of people to congressional representa-
ton shall be increased, reduced or re-
main as 1t is now. The party will ma
turely be controlled In its decision by
the effect the appOrtionment will have
upon Democratic strOnghOlds. In
word, if the Democrats are convinced
and there Is no trouble about ascer-
tanning that their strength will be in
creased by increasing the apportion-
ment of people TO congressman, then
it follows that the apporti0nment will
be increased. If, on the other hand,
the Democrats believe that their party
will be strengthened by leaving the ap.
portiOnment basis undisturbed, then
the present regulations will control for
the next ten years. And. il it appears
that The strength of the. dominant par
ty will be strengthened by lessening
the apportionment figures, then it fol-
lows that. with Democrats in control,
the apportionment will be lessened.
Until the 18th census has been COM
pleted, it will be impossible to form
any intelligent impression as to the at
titude of the Democratic party concern
ing this apportionment business. The
distribution of the cOuntry's population
will be the. controlling factor, and from
what has already been published by
the census bureau it would seem prob
able that the solid south and few
strongly Democratic cities in the north
and east are gong to gain additional
representation in cOngress-Democratic
representation, of course.
/ The house OF representatives is now
composed of 39l members, based on
the reapportionment of 1900, which al
lowed one representative to each state
for approximately $4,000 people. Ii
the population OF the country has in
creased 10000, 900, as is claimed. and
the present apportionment basis is not
changed, about so additional seats will
be created in the lower house of con-
gress. ",.
Census figures published to date indi-
cate that the principal growth OF the
country has been in the big cities of the
east, the north and the middle west,
notably New York, Boston, Cleveland.
Chicago, Cincinnati, aud in the south.
1t has been established that there has
been no increase in population in New
England, or in many OF the strong Re-
publican states of the middle west, no.
tabiy Iowa, Georgia, Alabama, Florida.
the Carolinas, Virginia, Louisiana, Mis-
slssippi, Arkansas and especially Texas
and Oklahoma have make great gains
in population. The grnwth of Texas
ana Oklahoma has been marvellous.
NewYork City and Boston are DEM
oclatc stronghoIds, and have always
been so. Chicago, Cleveland, st. LOUIS
and Cincinnati, not to mention Bati-
more, Are usually Democratic. The
southern states are overwhelming
Democratic. IT,
Thus it. appears that the increase in
population tends to benefit the Demo.
cratic party and congress may be ex.
pecteu to make the most of it in ar.
ranging for the reapportionment.
1t Is possible that the Democrats may
determine not to Increase the size of
the house membership, and in this
event the apportionment figure might
be increased, on the theory that the
Democratic stronghOlds owing to in
creased population, would lose nothing,
while New Engand and other Republic
can territory that have not grown so
rapidly have their representation ma
terially reduced.
to redistrict after each federal census.
and here again the Democrats, thanks
to last. Tuesdays election, will score.
Indeed, it is probable that the Demo,
cratic legislature in New York, Ohio,
West Virginia, Nebraska, Indiana. New
Jersey, Montana, Missouri and Maine
will give the Grand Old Party a dose of
| its own medicine and resort to the eff
cacious Gerymander in redistrcting
these states. The Gerymander. it is
conceded, would help TO perpetuate the
Democratic representation from these
states in the house, and might make it
possible for the Democrats to win sew
eral additional United States senator
ships at the next election.
For instance, there is Congressman
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