Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-04-28
THE CENSUS AND VERMONT IN
CONGRESS-.

that our entire population is counted
as well as an adequate statement of
our populations: for If we have grown
as we believe Vermont has grown, the
result will affect the prestige Of our
common wealth to a certain extent.
The present census of Vermont will
not he without u political bearing.
however. and for this reason in par
tcular all our people should be sure
that all the Inhabitants of every town
ond city are counted. 1t is not Inn
possible that MS a result Of the reap
portionncnt of representation In Con-
gross Vermont mey fnd herself in the
near future with only one representa-
tive.
THO basis for the apportionn1ent of
congressional representation depends
upon tho population OF the various
Statcs
Beginning with 1890 tho opportion-
Ing OF Representatives was made by
Congress. and this method was con-
tlnucd until 1850. when Congress not
only determined that the number Of
members Of tho House should he 23S.
but also directed that in the future
tho secretary Of tho interior should
make all necessary changes in the
arportionncnt.
In 1850 accordingly all changes
nooceeitated - tie taking of the
eighth census were made in accord
anco with tic provisions Of this law,
but in 1862 Congress again fixed the
total number of members. and. mas
much as All subsequent changes have
been made bv Congress itself the act
Of 1850 dclcgnting the power in qucs-
ton to the secretary of the interior
may be said 10 lave been rereaiod by
The act of CONGRESS appro,e Tanu-
nrv 1f tool rrovidos that after March
2. 1909 the House Of Eeprosen,atiycs
shall be co,uposod Of ESQ members.
oach Of whom shall ronrcsent y dis
tr,ct If coutty-,o,,s territorv n nro-
vision ,vidaotIv aimed at yerr,,,an-
dering. II is also provided that as
each new state is admitted to the
Union the REPRESENTATIVES assigned to
# shall be in addition 10 this menu
hersh,n and shall he elected nc rem
resentatiycs at large until such time
as the Legislature shall redistrict the
state which elected them.
Tho ratio Of nppor,ionncnt in Con-
gross to population. established under
the census of 1900 and now in opera
ton. is ono renrcsentative to every
i9o1o2 people. Tho ratio of the frst
constitutional Congress was 80. 900.
The ratio gradually Increased until
the change made by Congress- as stated
| in 1850 when 1t was aS.42S. In 1860
the ratio was 127.Ssl; in 1870. 131.425:
in 1850. 1881: ana in 1890. 173.aOl.
1t can ho seen from this that tie
m ito of Representation i'm Congress
has increased since 1880 about o.. 900
| per decade. II the rule holds good
under the census of 1910. the next
ratio will be one representative for
about 224.102 Of population. IF the
population Of Vermont were to be
shown to be 500 600 even under the
nresent census we uould sim Le ehort
MS the fraction az more than one-bo1f
usua,Iy rocoyri1.d In coe.s ,,horo van.
ros.rtot,or is ,,i,.r 10 eroc,tors
Tbere would soe,r IN he No r.osun
uh, Conarass sho,,Id ro, oi.or,-o ,no
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., h,,, ,h.,ro g. a,ne..,.. .,.,,,.
tina, tho uor.a &C. r,,.i.,,,.
=, ,,.ouia so,,, ., -, o.,.
90 ,ro,.taa .ho. ,,o ..,,,,,o.. 80 ,,,
rors ~, .,o ,,o,,., ,,.,,,i,l L.. i,,...o....,.,
,o. ....,,
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. 49,. o,
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rso,o >,o,,,or. ,-o...,d, ,.,o, and
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