The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1913-10-03
REDISTRICTING ACT
GOVERNS ELECTIONS
Congressman Cannot Be
Elected From Old Dis
tricts Which Will Cease
to Exist Before the Repre-
sentatives Can TAX e
Their S e a ts-O uote s
Precedent.

"FTorida's redistricting act will be
effective for next years congressional
elections and the candidates for con-
gress in the 1914 primaries must run
from the four districts as provided in
the act" said Robert Fl. Anderson, the
well known Pensacola attorney, to a
Journal representative yesterday.
Notwithstanding certain recent
opinions to the contrary, I am satis-
fed that this is correct" continued
Mr.. Anderson, "and believe an an
dents bearing on 1t will convince al
most everyone of the correctness OF
this view"
Mr.. Anderson bases his opinion ON
the following grounds:
First. That the legislature intended
the congressman to be elected in 1919
from the new districts provided in
the act.
Second. That if they are not elect
ed from those new districts and If the
present districts cease to exist with
the termination of the present con-
gressional term (March 4, 1870 a
congressman elected from an old OF
present district would, when he went
TO take his seat March 4, 1915, find
himself in the peculiar position OF
which did not exist
Third. That when Claude L Engls
ran for the position of congressman
at large in 1919, he then ran for an
ofEioe which did not exist until after
March 3 OF the following year; an6
there is no more inconsistency In rum
ming next year for an Office that viii
not exist until the following year than
there was in running last year for
position which did not exist until this
year
PAST REPRESENTATION.
Probably it will not be amiss to
look backward over our representation
in congress before taking up the new
act" said Mr.. Anderson. From the
time of Florida's admission into the
union until 1873, we had but one mem-
ber OF the lower house The period
between the years 1878 and 1901 saw
Florida with two representatives. Aft
er the census OF 1900 our increased
population entitled us to three repre-
sentatives according to the act Of con-
gress Of January Is, 1901, Chapter 9S
Stat L. 733, WHICH took effect March
3, 1903. Pursuant to this act of con-
gress the state legislature of 1901 re-
distrieted the state into three dis
tricts to take effect in accordance with
the act Oh tOnEEGSEs ana GtBGdAeu sec
tions 81 and So of the revised stat~
utes.
"The census Of 1910 showed a SUM-
cient population to send four mem
bers to the lower house. The first
session Of the sixty second congress
(Chap. 81 passed An act for the ap-
portionment of representative in
congress among the several states un-
der the thirteenth census. Be It en-
acted by the senate and house Of rep
of the United States OF
America in congress assembled, that
after the third day Of March, 1913, the
house of representatives shall be COM
posed of four hundred and thirty
three members, TO be apportioned
among the several states as follows
etc Section 2 relates to territories
becoming states and is therefore not
important in this connection. Section
8 provides that each state entitled TO
more than one representative such
shall be elected by dis
tricts composed OF a contiguous and
territory, etc. Section pro-
vides that in case of an increase in
the number Of representatives in any
state under this appOrtionment such
Continued on Page Threel