The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-10-09
SOUTH TO GAIN BY
! REINFORCEMENT
Study of Census Report Shows West
and South Have Grown Most
in Decade.
lsy Associated Press. !

Washington, Oct determination o j.
the final census figures OF the coun-
try, which places the total population
of the continental United States at
5,683.108 indicated that the west and
the south proportionately will gain
more in a political way than the east
or middleWest through increased mem
bership in the houses of representa-
tives, more votes in the electoral col
lege and in larger delegations to the
national political conventions.
This result will obtain whatever
basis of apportionnnent is adopted by
congress next winter fixing the size
Of the next house, which in turn is
reflected in the electoral college and
the conditions of the big political
parties.
AS the result of increase of 13710,-
S42 in population during the past ten
years, fifty new seats must be added
to the house to prevent any state from
losing any part OF its present repre-
senation. Should the present menu
bership of 435 be left unchanged by
increasing the basis of apportionment
there will have to be a transfer of
thirteen seats, now held by twelve
states, to nine other states. For the
past half a century the precedent
has been to increase the size of the
house SO as to prevent loss of exist
ing representation by any state. AS a
result, the house has grown from 243
to 435 members, with only three states
Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont
losing one member each in the last
fifty years.
If this precedent is followed this
year, five additional representatives
must be given to California, four each
for New York. Ohio, Pennsylvania
and Michigan, three to Illinois and
Texas, two to Massachusetts, New
Jersey and North Carolina, and one
each to Alabama, Arizona, Connecti-
cut, Georgia, Maryland, Montana, New
Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Car
DINA. TENNESSEE, Washington, West
Virginia, Wisconsin, Virginia, Arkan-
sas and Minnesota
While the present basis of appor-
tionment is 211,S77 inhabitants or its
major fraction to the congressional
district, congress can increase the
basis to 219,427 without causing any
loss. To advance beyond the latter
figure will mean that Maine would
lose one seat, with the net result of
As new seats in congress.
Congressional leaders are strongly
opposed to any large increase in the
house as they regard the present
mmbership of 435 as too unweildy.
When the house census committee.
headed by Representative Siegel of
the problem, effort will be made TO
hold down the increase, but pressure
for the increase is expected TO come
from the states which would benefit
from a large house.
BY holding the house membership
to 4S5, gains would be distributed with
three to California, two to Michigan
and Ohio, and one each to Connect
cut, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ok
lahorna, Texas and Washington. To
offset these gains Missouri would be
forced TO lose two congressman,
while Indiana. Iowa, Kansas. Ken
lucky, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi,
Nebraska. Rhode Island, Vermont and
Virginia would lose one each. All
others states would retain their pres
ent numerical delegations in congress.