The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1920-10-08
POLITICAL POWER
MAY SWING TO NEW
POPULATION CENTER
The South and West Shows
Greater Gains Than Do
the East and North of
the United States
AFFECTS ELECTORATE
CENSUS RETURNS INDlCATAE
HEAVIER VOTING STRENGTH
IN ELECTORAL COLLEGE FOR
DEMOCRATS OF NATION

Washington, Oct. S.--The examin-
alton of the final census figures OF
the country which place the total
population Of continental United
States at 105GS3,10S indicated that
the west and the south proportion
atey VIII gain more III political
way than the east or middle west.
through increased membership in the
house Of representatives., more votes
in the electoral college and larger
delegations to the national political
conventions.
This result will obtain, whatever
basis of apportionment is adopted by
congress next winter, fixing the size
of the next house, which in turn
| is reflected in the electoral college
and the conventions OF the big po.
litical parties.
AS a result Of the increase or
13,7l0,S2l in population during the
/ past ten years fifty new seats must
be added to the hoCse to prevent
any state from losing any part OF
| its present representation. Should
the present membership OF 435 be left
unchanged by increasing the basis
Of apportionment there will have 10
be a transfer of thirteen seats, now
held by twelve states TO nine other
states
For the past half century the pre-
cedent has been to increase the size
of the house so as to prevent loss
Of exercising representation by any
state. AS result the house has
grown from 243 to 4S5 members with
ony three states, Maine, New Hamp-
shire and Vermont, losing one mem
ber~each in the last fifty years.
If this precedent is followed this
year five additional representatives
seats must be given to California;
four each for New York, Ohio, PENN
sylvania and Michigan. three to Iii.
nois and Texas, two TO Massachu-
sets. New Jersey and North Caro-
Ina and one each to Alabama, Ar-
zona, Connecticut. Georgia, Mary
land, Montana, New Mexico, Oklaho-
ma, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennes-
see, Washington, West Virginia, Wis.,
consin, Virginia, Arkansas and Mime.
sofa.
While the present basis of appor-
uonmcnt is 2ll.S77 inhabitants or its
major fraction TO the congressional
district, congress can increase the
basis to 2l9,427 without causing any
loss. To advance beyond the latter
figure will mean that Maine would
lose one seat, with the net result
OF IS new seats increasing.
| Congressional leaders are strongly
opposed to any large Increase in the
house as they regard the present
membership Of 43j as too unwieldy.
When the house census committee
headed by Representative Siegel of
New York begins consideration of the
problem effort viii be made to hold
down the increase, but pressure for
the Increase Is expected TO come TO
the states which would benefit from
a larger house.
Only once--in iS40--has the size
OF the house been reduced. At ono
other time, Just before the civil
war, the apportionment was held
down, with the resulting loss of
seats falling most heavily on the
southern states.
BY holding the membership to
435 gains would be distributed by
three TO California, two to Michi.
gan and Ohio, and one each to Con-
necticutt, New Jersey, North Caro-.
Ina, Oklahoma, Texas and Washing
ton. To offset these gains Missouri
would be forced TO lose two congress.
men while Indiana Iowa. Kansas
, Kentucky Louisiana. Maine. Missis
sippi. Nebraska, Rhode Island, Yer
mont and Virginia would lose one
, each. An other states would re.
( tain their present numerical dele.
cation In congress