The bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1920-11-04
Representation
And The South
Talk Of Reapportionirg Quotas. of Con-
gressnGn aS Result Of the New
Census -.r

gresSmm az Result OF tho New
Census.
With the result of the 1920 census al.
most in sight, and some chance of Re-
publican Administration in charge at
Washington, there is already agitation
orer reapportioning the membership of
the House of Representatives.
The idea at present seems to be not
to enlarge tho membership, which is at
present 435. It is urged that already
the House has become physically too
anwieldy to allow efficient work. It
requires nearly three-quarters Of an
hour to call the roll. When the member
ship was increased, after the 1910 CEN
sus, from 1913 to 435, it was necessary
TO take out the desks in the House and
replace them with. seats. The hall is
Row almost filed to capacity
Several schemes are suggested for re
apportionment. Under the 1910 arrange
nent d member represents 211,S77 Of
the total population of the country.
70 contain that many persons or less.
There<is also an additional representa-
tive for each factional part of 211, ,877.
AS it works out, each member today
fepresents an average of 21O,5O4 per-
sons. The first plan is to increase that
number
Another plan suggested in the past
by Republicans, and which is now be-
Ing revived again, is to cut the South
ern membership by apportioning all rep
resentation on the basis of the Presi
Dental vote instead Of upon the basi is Of
population.
Manifestly, this will be vigorously
fought by Southern members, for it
would result in a much greater reduc-
ton in the Southern delegations than
in those Of the Northern States, and
Republicans would gain a great advant-
age over Democratsin in point Of numbers,
but already there has been a proposal
to the House Committee on Census that
the number of representatives from
Southern States, where Negroes are dis
1'anchised by various laws, be reduced.
Article 1. Section g. of the Constitu-
tion originally provided that represen'
tatives shall be apportioned among the
stteral states according to their re
their respective numbers But Sec
tion 9 Of the Fourteenth Amendment
altered this by providing that when the
right to-vote is denied to any Of the
male inhabitants of such State being 81
years OF age and citizens OF the united
States, or in any way abridged except
tor participation in rebellion or other
crime, the basis Of representation there
in shall be&reduced in the same proper
ton which the number Of such male
citizens shall bear to the whole number
OF male citizens 21 years Of age in such
State.'
Out of an estimated population Of the
country for 1919 Of 106,S71 ,294 persons
and eleven States Of the "Solid South -
had 25,578, 400 persons, practically
nth Of the nation. But out Of the to-
tai Presidential vote of 1888, ,743 sin
1916, these Eleven States cast only l.
'96, ,1O8 ballots.
So It will be seen that the Southern
States would be much embarrassed If
the representations were placed upon a
voting basis. ~
Tho political east Of the situation is
Emphasized when it is seen that in 1916
PRESIDENTIAL election 1926, ,432 for the
Republican candidate, Justice Hughes. ,