Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-04-21

WASHINGTON, April T7.-How many
members win there be in the house OF
representatives in the ed congress7 That
Is one of the questions left over from
the last congress which win be answered
during the extra session The house pass
ed a bin Increasing the number OF mem
bers from sal TO 4S3. but the senate failed
to act upon II. The I'LL was planned 70
80 increase the membership that no state
should lose a representative by reason
Of the changes in population disclosed oy
the 18th census. taken last year.
The census committee OF the house VIII
meet today and probably will then de-
eide TO report a bin practically the same
as that passed BY the last congress The
Democrats are now in power. and as the
losses entalled BY holding the membership
down TO the present number or 81 would
fan heaviest upon Democratic states, the
PARTY Is practically unit In support OF
the increase.
Ths only question before the committee
upon which there Is a probability OF d.
vision hinges upon a provision TO permit
future reapp0rtionments 10 be made au-
Dramatically by the secretary OF commerce
and labor. This provision was in the
bin as passed by the last congress, and
was prepared by Representative Edgar
d. Crumpacker, OF Indiana, then chair
man OF the census committee. Mr.. Crum-
packer has reintroduced his bill and it
Is before the new committee.
HoUsToNS NEW BILL
Representative William c. Houston, of
Tennessee. now chairman OF the commit
tee. has introduced a bill which makes
the same increase of from s91 to 4SS. but
which omits the provision delegating fu-
ture reappointments 70 the secretary Of
commerce and labor. The Houston bin
probably win be reported by strict
party vote
Senator LaFollette is chairman Of the
census committee Of the senate He is
opposed TO increasing the membership OF
the house. in fact, he favors reducing
the present number. He also has no pa
tience with the theory that the appor-
tionment bin ought TO be left entirely
70 the wisdom OF the house. He holds
that II left to itself the house will in
crease its membership every ten years
ana that II viii become more and more
dlsorderly and more and more lose its
character as a deliberative body.
Despite his personal objections. Senator
LaFolletfe said today that he believed
the senate would pass the bill as 1t comes
from the house In the last congress he
was the only member OF the committee
that dissented from the favorable report
on the Crumpacker bin. which was made
TO the senate by Senator Hale, OF Maine
As a matter OF fact. all the Democrats
In the senate win favor the increase for
partisan reasons and there are a SUI
1cient number OF Republicans from states
that would lose IN membership except for
the proposed Increase 70 give the friends
OF the measure n majority.
FEAR THE GERRYMANDER-
The delay In passing the bin was in
apfred 70 some extent by Republican par
tisanshIp. II IL had passed In the last
session the legislatures OF the various
efates already would have been busy with
the gerrymander. As there are Demo
cratic legislatures IN many states normal
" Republican. the new gerrymanders
would have operated to Republican dis
advantage by making several districts
surely Democratic that are now normally
Republican In states where the gov
ernor also IL q Democrat the gerrymand-
der may b made In an extra session. but
IN West Virginia. Missouri and Tennessee
the governors are Republicans and they
win most probably refuse to call extra
sessions OF the legislature for the purpose
Of making II more difficult to elect Repub-
leans TO congress.
Even In New York. Ohio, Indiana, New
Jersey and other states where there are
both Democratic governors and Demo
cratic legislatures. the calling OF an extra
session VIII focus the white light on the
gerrymander. and Il VIII be impossible to
90 as neat q job as might have been pos
sfble II the reapportionment had been
made last winter and the redistricting
bills passed IN the regular sessions of the
legislatures.
One other re-apportionment bill is
pending before the house committee II
was introduced by Representative Stew
en- b. Ayres. OF the Eighteenth New York
district Mr.. Ayres is q new member,
enc Of the Democrats who came In on
the tidal wave last November. He is
not a member OF the census committee,
and old members are at a loss TO under
stand his peculiar activity. The Ayres
bnl would make the new house consist
u 81 members. giving one more reprs-
senta tive 20 New York, Ohio, Texas and
Mississippi than is contemplated by the
E.5uStcn and Crumpacker bills
u1der the census OF 1870 the ratio Of
apportionment was fixed at one repre-
sentative for each 1sz1s5 Of population
or majority thereof. The Houston bill
makes the ratfo 81. 81, 50 that although
the house viii be increased by a. each
member viii represent nearly 1900 more