The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-08-13
PROSPECTIVE CHANGE
IN DISTRICTS WORRY
To G, 0,P. LEADERS

~ VI VI 6kS1O6ssO
With. the prospect that the next con-
gressional apportionment, based on
the new census Of the United States,
will reduce Indians representation In
congress from. IL to IL congressman.
Republican leaders In the sixth con-
xressional district of Indiana are some
what purturbed over the proposal to
abolish the fourth district and have its
II counties absorbed by the third and
sixth districts.
The fourth district is a Democratic
stronghold notwithstanding the fact
that It Is now represented In congress
by a Republican, Representative John
8. Benham, who won over Lincoln
Dixon, Democrat, in 1913. by MAORI
ty Of 52S. In political circles 1t Is an
accepted fact that the Republican vic
tory in the fourth district in 1918 was
primarily due to local issues. Decatur
county Is the only normal Republican
county in the fourth district.
There are now eight counties in the
sixth district, and three Of them,
Franklin, Hancock and Shelby, are
the IL counties of the fourth district
sixth districts the sixth probably
would absorb Decatur county. adding
another Republican county, but 1T is
also probable three or four Democratic
counties might be assigned to the
sixth, in which event the sixth would
be transformed from a normal Repub-
lican to a debatable district.
The third district, now represented
by Republican, Representative
James W. Dunbar, is regarded Demo
cratic territory. Only at rare inter-
walls Is It represented in congress by a
Republican.
Should several counties of the
fourth district be allotted to the third,
it would be converted into a Demo
cratic stronghold. Such being the
case. Republican leaders in the third
can be expected to join with the G. O..
p. organization in the sixth in sharp
protest over the proposed dismember-
ment of the fourth district.
II the membership of the national
house of representatives, which now
numbers ABS, is not to be increased, 1t
Is estimated that each state would be
entitled to one member of congress for
each 236.189 population. The new
census Of the eight counties of the
sixth district gives the district a
population of 1912, or 53,017 less
than the population required for a
representative in congress. The
populations of the several counties Of
the sixth district follow:
Fayette 49,. 17,142IRush ...... 1924
Franklin >. 14,75sl shelby 800. 25,9s2
Hancock :. 1870 Union $500. 6,021
Henry ..... 34,6S2I Wayne 500. 4s,136
Decatur county was formerly affil-
lated with the sixth. Through the
efforts of Finiy H. Gray, Democrat,
who formerly represented the sixth in
congress. Decatur. with its strong Re-
publican majority, was transferred to
the fourth with the approval Of former
representative Lincoln Dixon, of the
fourth, also Democrat.
Mr.. Gray felt that by eliminating
the Republican vote in Decatur his
seat in congress would be fairly safe.
The fourth having always been
strongly Democratic, Mr.. Dixon felt
the addition Of a Republican county to
his district would make very little diff
ference. However, the "swapping' Of
Decatur county resulted in an odd
political boomerang.
With the passing away Of the Pro-
gressive party the, G. O. P. in the sixth
district came back to it's own in 1916
and Gray was brushed into the
political discard.
In 1918 the big Democratic vote in
the fourth district became disaffected
and Decatur the fourth's new member,
came through with such a large Repub-
lican majority that Dixon was defeated
and Benham, the Republican candidate
was elected.