The American issue. [volume] (Westerville, Ohio) 1912-19??, 1920-11-05


liean or Democratic principles. or any
invasion OF the rule of the majority
To show the character of the at.
tack upon the proposal for limitation
of New York City and the similarity
of the arguments advanced with those
in our own Illinois contest, let US ex-
anime one of the legislative speeches
of the opposition-that made by w
F. Sheehan.
Arguments Against Limitation
Mr.. Sheehan said in part: "The
resolution reported from the Commit.
tee on the Legislature and its organ.
ization clothes with a minimum oil
respectability the wrong of 1904. for
we now have the proposition that the
city of New York, whatever its pop
ulation, and regardless of how many
counties may be within its borders
shall not have more than one-half OF
all the Senators and not more than
one-half of all the members of AS
sembly. The amendment OF 1894 was
a limitation upon the legislative rep
resentation of two adjoining coun-
ties. The proposition of 1915 is a
prohibition against adequate repre-
sentation in five counties locate
within the greater city.
"In 1890 the population of this
state was 5.o97,S53 In that year the
territory now known a. Greater New
York had \ population of 2,553,5o7.
In 1910 the population of the entire
state was o,l13,6l4 and of this num-
Der there were in the territory of the
greater city 4,764,SS3, equal to 50 per
cent of the states total population.
Based on the same percentage of
growth, the population of the entire
state in 1920 will be 1885, 5sS and the
population of the city of New York
5000, l2S equal to s7.2 per cent of the
total population. On the basis of the
1910 population of the city, New
York would now be entitled to twen-
ty-six Senators instead of its present
representation of twenty-one. In
1920, based on the figures last men,
toned, that city would be entitled to
twenty-nine Senators.
Il am at loss to understand why
he is unwilling to give members of
this body and others resident in the
city of New York the same equal
right in selecting members of the
Legislature as that which he enjoys
and exercises in the city OF Saratoga
Springs. In the selection of Sena-
tors and Assemblymen why, | ask,
should his ballot have more weight
than mine? Why should his ballot
count for more in Saratoga county
than the ballot cast by the president
of this convention in the city of New
York?
IF the people OF the state, each
man standing on an equality, can be
trusted to act intelligently and pa
triotically in electing a governor, a
lieutenant-governor and other Off
GERS, why can not the people in like
manner and upon the same terms Of
equality be trusted to elect senators
and assemblymen? .s
Some New York Counties Declining
in Population the Same as Some
Counties in Illinois
Your answer is that rural COM
munities which stand still or go back
ward in population should be re-
warded and that the city of New
York, because it has grown great
and prosperous, should be punished
Your answer is that the counties of
Allegany, Chenango, Clinton, Column
bia, Essex, Greene, Lewis, Living
ston, Madison, Oswego, Otsego. Put
nam. Schoharie, Schuyler, Seneca,
Sullivan, Tioga, Washington and
Yates. each with population greater
in 1875 than in 1910, will continue to
have equal or greater representation
in the Senate and Assembly than To-