Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-11-16
Republicans May Be Years in
Recovering House Control.
"GERRYMANDER" IN WAY
Democrats Will Have Advantage
Under Reapportionment.
REDIsTRICTING IN THE STATES
Congress to Act Under the Census
Returns of 1o1O-Bitter
Strife Probable

1t may be many q long day before the
republicans gain control Of the House CT
Representatives again. Reapportionment
of representation and redistricting and
'gerrymandering'' Of the state promise
to give the democrats advantages OF pro-
found value in Congress elections for the
next ten years.
One important feature Of the work of
the approaching session of Congress will
be the passage of the reapportionment
act, fixing the representation in Congress
to correspond to the increased population
as shown by the late census Congress
will determine its future membership
based upon the population and specify the
number Of representatives each state shall
have.
This work must not be COMPOUNDED with
the redistricting of the states, which is
strictly within the province of the state
legislatures. 1t is in the latter opera
ton that the ''gerrymander' gets III Its
deadly work Republicans will have oc-
casion to lament that redistricting under
the next reapportionment is to be done by
democratic legislatures in such important
states as New York, New Jersey, Ohio
and Indiana.
Aim Of the Democrats.
The object of the democratic legisla-
lures will be to so arrange the boundaries
Of the new Congress districts as to con-
solidate the republican vote In as few
districts as possible, and assure demo-
cratic majorities by dividing the demo-
cratic counties among other districts.
Congress has no jurisdiction whatever
over the redistricting and will have to
/ 80 t1rn n0tc al q tlrR
the basis of apportionment for the states
Is fixed by congressional enactment.
II the democrats care they could pre-
vent the passage of the apportionment
bill at the short session by fltbustering
and put that work over to the Sixty-sec-
ond Congress. Up to the year 1880 reap
portionment was postponed until the first
S, sEion of the Congress succeeding the
enumeration. The superintendent bills for
the eleventh and twelfth censuses were
passed during the short session of the
current Congress Immediately following
the census. The republicans are prepared
to bring in a bill at the coming short ses-
sion.
One thing is certain and that is that
there is no likelihood of revival Of agi-
tation for cutting down the representa-
ton of the southern states In Congress
on account of the disfranchisemtn of the
negro. With Congress expiring by con-
stitutional limitation March next there
is no possibility of passing such law.
Indeed. instead Of losing representation
in the House the southern States stand
to gain under the reapportionment. Nat
ural increase in population will give them
added membership In the House.
TO Strengthen Hold.
Thus the democratic party will strength
en- its hold upon the House Of Representa-
tives both by "gerrymander" Of congress
sional districts and by legitimate increases
in membership. This advantage will con-
tinue for the next ten years and will be a
distinct handicap to republicans at the
beginning Of each campaign for Congress.
Consideration of the reapportionment act
will probably be attended by the same bit
ter resentment against proposed loss of
membership by some Of the eastern states.
1t will be recalled ten years ago Maine
and Virginia stood to lose membership.
and 1t was only the doeged opposition of
Senators Frye and Hale, backed up by
the Virginia senators, that prevented
those two states losing.
Another feature OF the reapportionment
which will cause discussion will be wheth-
shall be increased or the ratio Of repre-
sentation increased, the latter alternative
involving loss OF representatives to some
states.
The Constitution provided for the first
apportionment and gave one member Of
the House to every thirty thousand inhab-
itants. so that the first House contained
only sixty-ffve members.
The present House consists Of three
hundred and eighty-siX members and the
ratio of representation is 1913, 167.
Membership and Ratio.
Since the beginning OF the last century
the membership and ratio have been as
follows:
1SOO-1A members, with a ratio of 3d.
600.
1s10-1s1 members and ratio Of $4,000.
1S2O-213 members and ratio of 10000.
1S3O-24O members and ratio of 47,7OO.
1S4OA223 members and ratio Of 1850.
1SJO-233 members and ratio OF 90 423.
1S6ON243 members and ratio Of III. 3s1.
1S7O1293 members and ratio of 131, 425
1SS0-325 members and ratio Of Isl oil.
1S1Oe256 members and ratid Of liz QQl