The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1920-10-11
VT. MAY NOT LOSE
SEATS IN CONGRESS
State May Retain TWO Representa-
tives in Spite Of Failure to
Increase Population.


Washington. D. G., Oct. g.. (By the |
Associated Press) Examination of
the final census figures which place the
population Of the continental United
States at 105 $50, 10S, indicates that
1 the west and the south proportionate-
ny will gain more in political way
than the east or the middle west
i through Increased membership in the
House of r representatives., in more
votes in the electoral college and in
larger delegations to the national po-
litical conventions
This result viii obtain whatever
basis of apportionment is adopted by
! Congress next winter, fixing the size
lof 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,
I71O,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 pres
ent representation. Should the pres.
tent membership of 435 be unchanged
by increasing the basis of apportion-
ment there will have to be transfer
iof thirteen seats now held by II states
to II ne 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 result the House has grown from
243 TO 435 members, with only three
stateg-Maine New Hampshire and
Vermont 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 Hi
nois and Texas, two to Massachusetts,
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 is ST. inhabitants or its
major fraction to the congressional dis
trict, Congress can increase the basis
to 2l9, AT W thout causing any loss.
To advance beyond the latter figure
will mean that Maine would lose one
seat with the net result Of So new
seats in Congress.
Congressional leaders are strongly
opposed to any large increase in the
House, as they regard the present
membership Of 435 as unwieldy. When
the House census committee, headed
by Representative Segel Of New York,
begins consideration of the problem,
efforts will be made to hold down the
Increase, bnt pressure for the increase
is expected to come from the states
which would benefit from a larger
House
Only once-in 1870 has the size Of
the House been reduced one other
time. just before the Civil war the
arporticnment was held down, with
three TO California. two to Michigan
/, ard Ohio and oneseach to Connecticut,
4 New Jersey. North Carolina, Okla
/, homa, Texas and Washington, while
\ Indiana. Iowa. Kansas Kentucky
/ Louisiana. Maine Mississippi Nebras
| ka. Rhode Island Vermont and Vir
ginia would lose one each. All other
! states would retain their present nu'
X mprical delegations.