The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1920-10-08
VERMONT MAY
NOT LOSE SEAT
In House of Representa-
tives Despite Failure to
Keep Up in Population
BIG STATES MAY
SEEK MORE SEATS
In Which Case They Would
Want to Keep Appor-
tionment As Now

Washington, D. c., Oct. 8 tBy the
Associated Press s).--Examination of
the final census figures which place the
population of the continental United
States at l05,6s3,l los, indicates that
the west and the south proPortionate-
lv will gain more in political way
than the east or the middle west
through increased membership in the
House of Representatives., in more
votes in the electoral college and in
larger delegations to the national po-
litical 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
in the conventions of the big political
parties.
As result Of the increase Of 49,
7l0s42 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 pres,
ent representation. Should the pres
ent membership of 435 be unchanged
by increasing the basis of apportion-
ment there will have to be transfer
of thirteen seats now held by l2 states
TO nine other states.
For the past half century the prec
edent has been to increase the size
of the House so as TO prevent loss of
existing 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
seats must be given to California,
four each to New York. Ohio, Penn
sylvania and Michigan; three to Illi-
nois and Texas, two TO Massachusetts,,
New Jersey and North Carolina, and |
one each TO Alabama, Arizona, Con-
necticut, Georgia, Maryland Montana,
New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, South
Carolina, Tennessee, Washington, West |
Virginia, Wisconsin, Virginia, Arkan-
sas and Minnesota.
While the present basis of appor-
tionment II 2ll,s77 inhabitants or its
major fraction 10 the congressional dis |
tricf. Congress can increase the basis |
to 2lg,427 without causing any loss
To advance beyond the latter figure
will mean that Maine would lose one
seat, with the net result of 5s new
seats in Congress.
Congressional leaders are strongly
opposed 10 any large increase in the
House. as they regard the present
OF 435 as unwieldy. When
he House census committee, headed by
Siegel Of New York,
,egins consideration of the problem,
forts will be made 10 hold down the
Increase, but pressure for the increase
s expected to come from the states
which would benefit from a larger
House.
Only once--in ls40--has the size of
he House been reduced. One other
ime, Just before the Civil war, the
pportionment was held down, with
he resulting loss of seats falling most
esyily on the southern states.
By holding the House membership to
IS. gains would be distributed with
hree to California, two TO Michigan
nd Ohio and one each TO Connecticut,
Sew Jersey. North Carolina. Okla
oma, Texas and Washington. while
indiana. Iowa, Kansas. Kentucky,
.ouisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Nebrss-
a. Rhode Island, Vermont and Vir-
inia would lose one each All other
tstes would retain their present nu-
lerical delegations.