Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1919-01-30
ALL RECORDS BROKEN BY NUN.
Der OF BILLS INTRODUCED
BY MEMBERS.
G%ERRYMANDER lSCCNSlDERED
Would Make Representation In Con.
gress More Evenly Divided Be-
tween Great Parties-Ask
Jobs for Soldiers.
Jefferson City, Mo.

The rush Of bills has begun in both
houses of the legislature, and over 200
were introduced in one day in the
senate, and an even larger number in
the senate. 1t is estimated that one
third of the bills of the entire session
were introduced in the week.
Among those offered In the house
were the two workmen's compensa-
ton bills, one framed by the labor
unions, and one by the employers.
Woman's suffrage, constitutional con-
vention, children's code, state tax bills,
primary laws revision, St. Louis an
nexation bill, judicial procedure and
liquor control embraced some of the
subjects sought to be regulated.
The house after considerable debate
voted to rent a piano and place it in
the house chamber for the entertain
ment of members on nights and Sun
days. That body also invited Senator
Selden Spencer to deliver an address
at an early date.
The most important political bill
introduced m the legislature is the
measure which would abolish the ger
rymander in Missouri, which has en-
abled the Democrats to capture ten
of the fifteen members of congress
from this state at every election. The
bill was introduced in the senate by
Elder of st. Louis.
This bill, upon the basis of the cleo
ton of 1918, would give the Republic
ans five and the Democrats eight of
the districts outside of st. Louis.
Three districts are provided for St.
Louis, the boundaries of which are
given in the bill.
The congressional districts were
laid out in Missouri many years ago
1901 and have not been changed
since. For many years after the pres
ent arrangement of the districts the
Republicans were able to elect only
one representative, the one in the 10th
district, which included all the Repub-
licans of North and South st. Louis
and st. Louis county.
That district has a population of
more than 100000 people and is the
largest congressional district in the
United States. The Republican plu-
rality for Chas. A. Newton at the last
election was more than 20, 900.
The congressional districts, like the
senatorial districts, are unequal in
population and distorted in shape, not
withstanding the constitution requires
that the districts be compact and con-
tiguous in form and as nearly equal in
population as may be.
The population of the 10th district
is nearly double that of the 9Th and
9th districts. Gross disparity is said
to exist in the population of the other
districts.
Long narrow shoestring districts &C.
cupy a prominent place in the present
districting. The 14th distsict starts
at Cape Girardeau and runs almost
across the southern edge of the state.
The 7th district runs from the bor-
der of Randolph and Charlton coun-
ties in North Missouri, a single county
in width, almost to the Arkansas line.
The congressional ratio based upon
the division of the population of Mis-
souri, by sixteen is 205,383. Elders
district varies from this ratio by IT.
GEO to $4,000. The present disparity in
districts ranges from $4,000 to 200, 900.
The 18th district has a population
OF 296, 900, which is $4,000 in excess of
the ratio. The 10th has a population
of 100000, approximately 205, 1000 in
excess of the ratio.
The new districting would put
Champ Clark in a Republican district
That district would be composed oil
Franklin, Lincoln, Pike, st. Charles
st. Louis and Warren counties, all
Republican except Pike and Warren.
Three districts are provided for st
Louis and one for Kansas City st
Louis county, now a part of the 10th
is thrown into the 9th, by the new
plan. Jackson county, now a part q
9Th, is put into a district embracing
Cass, Clay, Jackson, Johnson, Lafay
cite, and Ray counties.
1t is thought improbable that tn,
hill will nace