Daily Kennebec journal., 1919-12-05
Friday, December S, 1918.
"Msine in the House."

Congress In the next re0lStrlctlnS,
following the census Of 1920. This is
no new subject Of speculation as it
has followed every census. 1t Is
possible that Maine may be reduced
in membership and again 1t may not,
although It is recognized that 1t had
a narrow escape at the last redis-
tricting. The results Of the census
aer expected to show that while
Maine has made a material gain In
population since the last census, this
may not have been equal to the ad-
vance made in many other states, SO
that Names chances Of retaining
four representatives are likely to de-
pend upon the decision in Congress
as to whether the number of members
Of the House shall be increased.
Maine had seven members OF the
House from 1921 until 1858 when a
reduction was made to six.S Inc
next reduction came in 1868 when
our representation in the lower
branch of Congress was reduced TO
five. and the final reduction to four,
the present number, was in 1855
Bangor Commercial.
This speculation respecting reap
portionment recalls the exciting con-
test made in 1s00-1s0l, when the odds
all seemed against Names retaining
her four Representatives. At that
time principles and precedents were
pretty thoroughly aired. The major
ity OF the committee reported IL
favor of fixing the number of repre-
sentatives at s57. whereas the minor
ity report, known as the Burleigh
bill, called for a membership of SS6.
The first measure provided for the
elimination of eight congressional
districts, one of which would have
been taken from Maine.
The records show that most of the
leaders in Washington assumed that
this would be done and most in this
State who had given the subject con-
sideration concluded that such a re-
suit was inevitable. Such were the
conditions under which the late Hon.
Z. c. Burleigh, then representative
from the third district, undertook the
contest, which after a long struggle
resulted in the reapportionment pro-
vided for in the Burleigh bill. He
took the ground that the only fair
and equitable way of dealing with
majority fractions was to use all
states exactly alike. His speech In
summing up the case was a most
comprehensive presentation Of the
matter. In it he said: "The closer
the individual citizen is brought in
touch with the conduct Of national
affairs, and the easier it is for him to
impress his views upon those who
make the national laws, the more In
harmony it is with the spirit Of re-
publican institutions and the strong
er and better will be the character Of
the public service" THE
larger the membership the better
service will be given the public and
the moro difficult it becomes for any
measure appropriating money to run
the legislative gauntlet"
It appears that when congress was
established each representative had
around 10000 constituents. In 1900
each representative had about 174.-
900 people to look after. Represen-
tative Burleigh argued that the
Capitol itself is intended to accom-
modate the people and not the people
to accommodate the Capitol" Repre-
sentative Littlefield made a vigorous
speech in support Of the bill and all
possible assistance was rendered by
other Maine representatives and
Senators Frye and Hale. Naturally,
Notwithstanding the principles ad-
vanced in support Of the measure
were such as might be disputed only
by actual necessity, the success OF
the bill depended on thorough or
ganixation and to this Mr.. Burieigh
devoted unremitting effort. fact
recognized throughout the. country
and commented on by the press. Re
ferring to it the Portland Advertiser
said: Congressman Burleigh is to be
congratulated FIRST Of all. In secur-
ing the passage Of the reapportion-
ment bill which bears his name he
has won a great victory in fight in
which the odds were seemingly
against him."
The effect Of thorough organiza-
tion, when the cause is good one.
may be judged from the fact that this
bill in favor of what at first was gen.
orally regarded lost cause. passed
the House by q vote, Of 1s5 to 102.
Further recognition Of the merits Of
The arrangement afforded by the Bur-
leigh bill was had at the hands of the
Congress making the next reap
portionment in 1911. After the CEN
sus OF 1910 the committee Of which
Representative Crumpacker was
chairman reported the Crumpacker-
Eurleigh bill and Notwithstanding his
term Of service soon expired Repre-
sentative Burleigh was able to rem