The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1914-10-08

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whereas according to population it
has over SO per cent and according
70 taxes over 50 per cent. The great
variation between the percentage OF
representation and The percentage OF
population is only fraction of a
percent except in two or three of the
counties with comparatively small
population and in these instances ii
is invariably in favor of the county
as against the other counties Of the
State. 1t naturally follows, that if
somebody wishes more representa-
tion at Salem, and the number OF
representatives is not increased,
there must be loss of representa-
tion to somebody else.
If you can figure out the possible
outcome oI a basis of a theoretically
perfect manipulation of the votes,
you will find sixteen out of thrifty
four counties would have absolutely
no representation; eight counties
would have their representation re-
duced, four would have small in
crease Multnomah very large in
craese and the five remaining coun-
ties would be represented as at pres
ent. | appreciate the fact that it is
of course impossible to perfectly
manipulate the votes, but | contend
that the votes can be as perfectly
manipulated in one county as in an
other, and for that reason, although
the number of votes required to elect
a candidate would not be the number
shown by this theoretical study of
the case, still the results would be the
same because the ratios would re-
main the same. l contend that the
increase in the representation of the
County of Multnomah would be to
such an extent that it would abso-
lutely dominate the Legislature,
which is bad for the county of Multi
nomah. There is no question but
that it is bad for the counties whose
representation is wiped out
This is what | mean by a theoret-
ically perfect manipulation of the
votes Based upon the registration
for the election of 1912 as given on
page 1876 of the Oregon Blue Book
for 1913-1914, ! discovered by SER
les of experiments, that 1900 votes
elect a candidate; more than that
given to one candidate would be
waste; less than that would fail to
elect, and on this assumption the Re-
publicans would elect one in Baker
county, there would be no represen-
tatives in Benton, The Republicans
would elect three in Clackamas, one
in Clatsop, there would be no repre-
sentation in Columbia, etc. This Is
on the assumption that the members
of the different parties of each coun-
ty vote as unit in that county. 1t
would be possible for the Democrats,
for example, in adjacent counties to
combine their vote and elect their
representative from the two coun-
ties, but this you can readily see
would in itself reduce the representa-
tion of many of the counties. In the
larger counties, particularly Multno-
nah, the party leaders would have
to distribute candidates according to
registration in precincts, SO that only
enough votes would be given each
candidate to assure his election.
l have endeavored to indicate, that
should these bills pass, it would be
possible to so manipulate the votes
as to eliminate representation from
many of the counties. | have further
indicated, that we now have repre-
sentation proportional to county pop
ulation and proportional to county
taxation. 1t must follow then, that
the advocates of these bills mus
want representation proportional tC
something else other than population
or taxation. If it is as to party, ir-
respective of residence, then my con
tention would still hcld that Multi
nomah's representation would in
crease at the expense of other cOun-
ties, because outside of Multnomah
none of the smaller counties has q
registration of six hundred. If the
idea is to split up the Republican
and Democratic Parties, so as tt
gain representation along other line!
it is we'll for the people to under
stand this in advance and to know
Just what we are getting when We
vote for either of these measures.
| feel that if these facts are lait
before the voters of the state these
bills will be defeated.
Yours very truly,
G. G. MASON.