The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1911-02-07
Republicans Tried Hard 10 Cut
Down the Representatives
THE PLAN WAS DEFEATED
Action for Reapportionment Under Re.
cent Census Will be Taken at This
Session-Plan to Cut South's Rep.
resentatlon Is Defeated After Lively
Debate.

Washington, Feb. Ga house mem
bership of 39l, as at present. was the
congressional reapportionment plan
agreed upon by the republican caucus
of the house Friday night. This propo-
sition, made by Mr.. Campbell, of
Kansas, was first defeated Sc to 81,
but later reconsidered and adopted, 70
to IS.
This action, together with the de-
feat of a plan TO offset the negro dis
franchisement in the south, urged by
Messrs. Bennett and 0lcott, Of New
York, and opposed by Mr.. Gaines, of
West Virginia. and others. occurred
during a lively three hours session Of
the caucus.
Campbell Plan Approved.
Several propositions were pending,
including the Campbell proposition,
leaving the house as it stands today;
proposition by Mr.. iElvins, of Mis-
souri,, favoring 402 members; a propo-
sition by Mr.. Stafford, Of Wisconsin.
for 397 members. and the Crumpacker
order of 433 members urged at the
outset by its author. The Campbell
plan was first taken up and finally
put through, the details of carrying
out the scheme being left to the census
committee, which will prepare the
way for action at this session Of con-
gress.
The caucus developed into a stormy
one when the Bennett anti-disfranchise-
ment plan was proposed. The propo-
sition directed the preparation OF a
bill to carry out the second section Of
the fourteenth amendment to the fed
eral constitution so as 10 cut down the
representation of any state exactly to
the extent that the negroes were dis
/ franchised by such state. This
| proposition was defeated after con-
siderable speech-making, p to As. the
me number Of representatives voting
ssinst it as voted against consider.
:, ON or reapportionnient al. this ses.
on, when the vote was SO to As.
About $50 republican members Of
he house attended the caucus to de-
eide upon the party policy as to con-
gressional reapportionment on the
basis of the latest census. The first
bill considered was that reported by
Mr.. Crumpacker, OF Indiana, chair
man of the house committee on census
fixing the house membership after
March 3, 1918, at 433. on a ratio OF
population to representatives Of 211.-
ST. as against 1s4.1S2 at present. This
includes Arizona and New Mexico, and
any new states after the date fixed
would be additional to the 433. which
is the lowest number that would pre-
vent any state from losing a repre-
sentative.
Mr.. G 'umpaeker, explaining his bill
showed how under the 1873 plan nc
state would lose member. New York
would gain six: Pennsylvania, four;
California and Oklahoma, three; ILL.,
nois. Massachusetts,. New Jersy, Texas
and Washington. two. and Alabama
Colorado, Florida. Georgia. Idaho
Louisiana. Michigan, Minnesota. Mon
tana. North and South Dakota. Ohio
Oregon. Utah. Rhode Island and West
Virginia, one member each.
With the increase Of population
shown by the new census, reappor-
tionment so as 10 preserve the present
number Of representatives. Ssl. would
necessitate cutting the numerical rep
resentation from Missouri by two and
Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas. Ken
lucky, Nebraska. North Carolina,
Ohio. Tennessee. Virginia and Wis
consin one each.
There has been an increase OF the
membership OF the house under every
census but one since the organization
Of the government. and the increases
have averaged about so per cent OF
the proportion Of increase in popula-
ton.