The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1910-06-24
THE PEOPLE TO FORM
SENATE DISTRICTS
INFAMOUS GERREMANDER MAY
BE ABOLISHED
Amendment to State Constitution to be
Submitted to Vote of People at
November Election Under
New Initiative Law. Pc
titions Circulated by
State Committee.

Jefferson City, <June 24,-Facing
each other at a table in a room at
the Madison Hotel last Wednesday
afternoon sat two of the most
b rilliant men in Missouri politics.
One, the governor of the state, is
a brilliant lawyer, a shrewd, hon.
est and successful public leader
an d devoted chief executives; the
other, the chairman of the Repub-
lican State Committee, is a man
OF tr emendous mental and pbysi-
cal energies, of unlimited resources
of National reputation as a bust
ness and political organizer and
known far and wide as a success
full manufacturer, and leader in
great industrial, commercial and
public enterprises. They were
8 surrounded by a number of dis
tinguished Republican party
eaders-men who are as patriotic,
sensible and unselish as ever un-
dertook a task for the good of the
state or for fair play in politics.
Any public proposition thought
out by Herbert S. Hadley, Walter
S. Dickey, John E. Swanger, j. F.
Gmelich, Homer Hall, Rush G.
Lake, CO. Madison, and the
other well known Republican cit
liens who surrounded that table
is worthy of the most serious and
respectful consideration. The
proposition they formulated has
in view an equitable, fair and
honest division of the counties of
the state into senatorial districts
by direct vote of the people, and
the abolition of that provision of
the constitution under which for
thirty years, three state officers,
always Democratic, have created
senatorial districts arbitrarily, un-
fairly and without regard for any
consideration save continued con-
troll of the State Senate by Demo
Gratis.
Under thel advice and legal
council of AGovernor Hadley it
W as determined to submit, under
the new initiative law, to a vote of
the people at the November cleo
t ion this year an amendment to
the constitution apportioning rep
r esentation in the State Senate for
the next ten years and empower
ing: the General Assembly to
reapportion it after the census of
1920 without de)egating such
authority say to the people them
8 elves. 1t was deemed unwise to
tempt the re- istricting through
gislative enactment by vote
under the initiative law, rs such
method might involve litigation
that cannot arise under an amend
ment to the constitution approved
by the people. The form of the
amendment to be submitted is
b REF and sufficiently explicit to
accomplish the object in view
without danger of conflict with
other constitutional provisions re-
ating to the senate and the cleo
ion of senators.
The State Committee will
the petitions necessary
get the proposed amendment
IN the ballot at the November
ection. They should be signed
promptly by citizens who favor
In honest division of the counties
an d cities into senatorial districts
IN a basis of population and con-
instead of a basis of
oartizan advantage. About %, 900
James distributed throughout at
east eleven of the sixteen con-
,ressional districts of the state
will be necessary. They should
De obtained as quickly as possible
The Republicans of Missouri :