Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-11-01
HOW SOUTH RULES
WITHOUT VOTING
Five Times as Many Votes
North as South Needed to-
Elect a Congressman.
RECORD STARTLING FACTS

have been issued demonstrating clear
ly that in congress the south is in
the saddle in respect 10 chairman
ships OF the most important commit
tees and III regard to, general dom
nation OF this section in important
legislation which affects the whole
country. ! wish to emphasize these
facts and 10 particularly direct atten-
ton u the largely disprqportionate
share which the south exercises in
the election OF congressman, de-
clared Hon Frank NJ. Downer, secre-
tary OF the western headquarters Of
the national republican congressional
commhtee<in statement here today.
AS constituted at the beginning OF
the Sixty-fourth congress, there were
455 members, classified as follows;
Democrats, 233; republicans, 1913; pro-
gressites, 7; independent, |, and So
cialist. !.
Eight southern states, Alabama,
Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana,
Mississippi, South Carolina and Vir-
ginia, have a total representation OF
sixry-six members in congress; sixty
four of these are democrats, one is a
republican and one progressive:
Only Five to One.
There was total vote cast for all
candidates for congress in these sixty
] six southern districts of SLIGO, an
average of 7,745 votes to each district.
Seven northern states, Connecticut,
New Jersey, Ohio, Michigan, Iowa.
New Mexico and Idaho, likewise have
total representation Of sixty-six
members, fifty of whom are repub-
licans and sixteen democrats.
There was total vote cast for all
candidates for congress in these sixty
six northern districts of 2,587 ,4O2, an
average of 3o,203 votes to each dis
trict, so that one vote in eight south
ern states was as potential in the cleo
ton of congressman as five votes
in the northern states enumerated.
South Cardinals total vote cast
for congressman, of whom she has
seven, was 33,4l4, an average of Ats
votes to each district. Minnesota
total vote cast for congressman, OF
whom she has ten, was 322,8ll, an
average OF 32,28l votes to each dis
trict. Is there any good reason why
a voter in South Carolina should have
i nearly seven times as much to say
in respect to the legislation which
shall be enacted for all the people
as voter in Minnesota?
i Florida and Colorado.
Florida has four members of con
: gress. All candidates received 24,07t
votes, an average of 6,0l9 votes ii
each district. The state of Colorado
likewise has four members of con
gress. All candidates received 247,
500 votes. Colorado being an equa
suffrage state, we divide the tota
vote by two, which gives US 1888
an average of 30,938 votes to each dis
trict The average voter in Colorado
both men and women, believe he OF
she is just as good and should hav'
just as much to say in regard to gov
ernmental affairs as any other voter
1t is not believed that Colorado vot
ers will relish the idea when the.
discover that Florida voter has fiv'
: times as much power to elect con
gresham as they.
: Georgia has twelve congressman
: Indiana has thirteen. Georgia cas-
8l,742 votets for all candidates TO
congress; Indiana cast 630,24e, al
, average OF $3.50 votes per district ii
Georgia and 4S,480 per district ii
Indiana.
Ratio Going Up.
: Louisiana has eight congressman
New Mexico has one. Louisiana cas-
81, 900 votes for all candidates for con
! gress, an average of 1886 per district
New Mexico, one of the newest state
in the union, cast 46,4l3 votes for al
. candidates for congress. Certainly
voter in Louisiana should not be al
lowed seven times as much power il
respect to the election of congress
men as voter in New Mexico.
:. These comparisons could be mul
|. tiplied indefinitely. A sufficient mum
Der have been shown to focus atten
. ton upon the gross inequality whic
!. exists in respect to this matter
=