El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-12-17

and development not having been in
augurated until the ranch region was
opened up by the construction of rail-
roads which was begun only a few
years ago. The Fifteenth district has
an area of 35,525 miles, and is repre-
scented in congress by John n. Garner
The district was cut out in the shape Of
a shoestring by the legislature in or
der to prevent the several Republican
counties along the border and towards
the interior from welding political con-
troll
Growth of Fourteenth.
The district in which San Antonio is
situated, the Fourteenth made large
gain in population during the last 10
years. The census of 1900 gave that
district a population of 1880 The
new census shows that the aggregate
population of the counties composing
the district is 269,198. an increase of
S7.94S. James L. Slayden has represent
ed this district in congress for several
years
Dallas Helps Fifth Grow
The rapid growth of Dallas accounts
chiefly for the increase in the aggre-
gate population of the counties com
posing the Fifth district. The popula-
ton of this district in 1900 was 2OO,O61,
and in 1910 293,654 Jack Bean is the
present congressman from this district.
Two Show Decrease.
The new census shows falling off in
the population of the Third and Fourth
districts. The former decreased from
1888 to 1864. and the latter from
21S,963 TO 214721, Both of these dis
trfcts are situated in North Texas
An analysis of the population figures
by districts shows that the reapportion-
ment will chiefly concern the western
and southern portions of the state. The
gain of population in the remainder of
the state, exclusive of the Third and
Fourth districts, which show decreases,
was relatively small
REIMBURSEMENT of boundaries
1t is expected that there will be
general readjustment of the boundary
lines of all the districts This will be
absolutely necessary as to most of the
districts where the increase Of popula-
ton was even slight, If the change in
the basis of representation is made
by congress, which now seems to be
assured But it is in carving out the
new districts from the big scope of ter
ritory into which new settlers are now
pouring that promises to excite the
more intense rivalry on the part of
congressional aspirants 1t is already
ton in congress will strive to keep
their respective districts as intact as
possible. but to what extent the 1egis-
lature will respect the wishes of these
officeholders remains to be seen
May Give Republicans Chance.
1t is in the western and southern por-
tions of the state that the Republican
vote is the largest With the influx of
new settlers from northern and middle
western states into these parts during
the last few years the Republican vot-
ing strength has been greatly increased
1t took some radical gerrymanding on
the part of the legislature 10 years ago
to create districts in the San Antonio
and Rio GranGe border territory that
would be assuredly Democratic The
coming legislature has still harder
so as to make the new districts in that
part of the state Democratic
The Republican voting strength in
all of the larger cities of the state is
much larger than in the smaller towns
and rural sections. Fer this reason no
Democratic congressional possibility
who lives outside of these cities wants
one of them in his district San Anto-
MO was formerly in one of the Rio
Grande border districts, but at the last
apportionment, through the persistent
effort Of Mr.. Garner and other rural
members of the legislature from that
part Of the state, it was shunted out
of its natural tributary territory and
placed in shoestring district that ex-
tends north for two hundred miles.
Other Census Features.
The nOSS1SSQS nT