The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-04-09
KEAPP0IVThENT'
WILL BE One OF.
THE BIG issues
INVITATIONS ARE THAT OP.
PONENTS TO MEASURE EN-.
DEAvOR TO "PASS THE BUCK"
TO LAST LEGISLATURE.
(sY HERBERT FELKEL.)

Tallahassee, April 7-Reappofnt-
ment OF the state as TO representa-
ton In the legislature is practically
certain TO be one OF tho big issues OF
the legislature observers say that there
is less likelihood of the members from
over-represented counties favoring
the proposition this year than 10
1917.
The state constitution says that
every ten years Florida shall! be re-
npportioned as to .hs representation
in the house and senate fron the va
rfous counties. but this has not been
done for several decades. One o: those
ten-year periods expired In 1917. I: is
cited that when the members take
their oath of office to uphold the con-
stitution they are honor bound to
vote for reapportionment and there IS
nothing to prevent the thing being at
tended to at any legislature, wheth-
er the session falls On the ten
year periods expiration or not. But
those inclined to oppose the propo-
sition declare that 1t was more the
duty Of the last session than OF this
one because the constitution says
every ten years..
So the oY.sesvn~r Srlieve tfat II the
state could not ha .es pport,oned last
tically TO exst:ss Sn- MT dofng t.
there is liza cs,'t..a 7f II hAing done
now when :r~ -, ,<i'.ers from over
represented corn ,r'-e q she dow
Of an excuse al-4 ",oL aoIs through
which to escape.
The only reason advanced two years
ago for members not following the
provisi1 rs OF the constitution was
that nothing IN the way OF an equit-
able plan for solving the representa-
ton riddle was presented. but they
did not explain why they themselves
did not offer some bill that would he
feasible.
The present representation was ar
ranged when the population OF the
state was lie II than q tenth what II
Is today and before South Florida
had developed at all. With the crea-
ton of each new county q representa-
tive has been added, ana from each
new county being provided for by the
constitution. but each county has had
to share the senator with the coun-
| ty from which the new county was
cut off. The result Is that some OF
the most populous counties OF South
Florida have but half, third or
| fourth interest In one senator. For
| instance the rich counties OF st. Lc-
/ Gle, k5IOWAIup AJAo0s GAiHA ADOAtAt DAA0
| Okeechobee all are represented by
Senator W. L. Hughlett OF Cocoa,
while each Of these prosperous coun-
ties has but one member Of tho house.
Some Of tho old counties Of the state
! which have grown but little and have
never been divided have q senator OF
! their own and two representatives.
The most glaring instance Of tho I'M
fairness. injustice and misrcpresenta-
ton at the present time as result
of the repeated ignoring Of the con-
stitutiona1 provision on the subject
by the legislature and it, refusal In
past years TO reapportion. II that Of
,ouval and Nasseau. adjoining coun-
ties one many times richer and moro
! populous than the other. but both
| having the Same representation at
| Tallahassee senator each and two
| representatives each. It - natural
| that the members from such coun-
| ties as Nassau are not anxious to