The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1920-10-12
WEST AND SOUTH
MAY GAIN SEATS
CENSUS FIGURES TO FIX SIZE
OF CONGRESS
Opposition Has Been Frequently
Expressed to House Being
Made Larger.

final census figures of the country
which place the total population of
the continental United States at
5,68S, ,10s, indicates that the West
and the South proportionately will
gain more in a political way than the
East or Middle West through in
creased membership in the house Of
representatives, more votes in the
electoral college and in larger dele
cations to the national political con-
ventiens.
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 political
parties.
AS result of the increase OF 49,
710,S42 in population during the
past ten years, so new seats must
be added to the house 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 to be
transfer Of 13 seats, now held by
12 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 existing representation by any
state. AS 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 so years.
If this precedent is followed this
year, FIVE additional representatives
seats must be given to California,
four each for New York, Ohio, Penn
sglvania and Michigan, three to IL
linois and Texas, two to Massachu-
sets, New Jersey and North Caro-
lima, and one each to Alabama, Ari-
zona, Connecticut, Georgia, Mary
land, Montana, New Mexico, Okla
homa, Oregon, West Virginia. Wis
consin, Virginia, Arkansas and Min
nesota.
While the present basis of appor-
tionment is 211,S77 inhabitants or
its major fraction to. the congress
sional district, congress can dncrease
the basis to 219,427 without caus-
ing any loss. To advance beyond the
latter figure will mean that Maine
would lose one seat, while Mon
tana would fail to gain one, with the
net result of 4S new seats in con-
gress.
Congressional leaders are strongly
opposed to any large increase in the
house as they regard the present
membership of 435 as too unwiedly,
when the house census committee,
headed by Representative Siegel OF
New York, begins consideration Of
the problem, effort will be made to
hold down the increase. But pres
sure for the increase is expected to
come from the states which would
benefit from large house.
Only once-in 1840-has the size
of the house been reduced. At one
other time, jus: before the Confed-
crate war, the apportionment was
held down, with the resulting loss of
seats falling most heavily on the
Southern states.
By holding the house membership
to 435, gains would be distributed
with three to California, two to
Michigan and Ohio, and one each to
Connecticut, New Jersey, North Car
olina, Oklahoma, Texas and Wash
ington., To offset these gains Mis-
souri, would be forced to lose two
congressman, while Indiana, Iowa,
Kansas, Kentucky, louisiana, Maine
Mississippi, Nebraska, Rhode Island,
Vermont and Virginia would lose one
each. All other states would retain
their present numerical delegations
in congress.
At the last session of congress
some Republican leaders expressed
opposition to any change in the house
that would be of profit to the South.
However, the new census does not in
dicate that the South can be affected
without a corresponding effect on
states where the Republicans might
not be inclined to reduce the dele
cations.
BY fixing the apportionment basis
SO that Maine and Missouri would
each lose one seat, the increased