The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1921-03-19
AS Others See 1t
REAPpDRrIoNMENr OR A CONVENTION
miami Herald.

miami Herald.
Granting, for the sake of argument, that the
contention is correct that the coming legislature
will not have authority to reapportion the rep
resentation of the state, faced with the
probability that the Legislature will not take ac-
ton looking toward relief in the matter of rep
resentation.
Even if the contention has no basis in law
there will be sufficient number of legislators
opposed to reapportionment on the ground that
their counties would lose representation il, reap
portionment is made, to vote against any move
ment looking toward putting the provisions of
the constitution into effect
Those, therefore, who are hopeful of results
in the coming legislature are in danger of being
disappointed. The statewide agitation for
apportionment at the coming session may after
all, prove abortive, under the peculiar situation
that presents ITSELF
If reapportionment is defeated then comes
the question what is to be done about the mat
ter? If action is refused on the ground that no
legislature except the one that meets in the
year ending in the figure seven, has authority in
the premises, then nothing can be done until
1927, six years from now.
Refusal by the legislature to act upon subject
so important to the state will, in all probability,
force to the front the question of calling
stitutional convention, and will have impor-
tant bearing that alternative proposition.
But again, there will be difficulties to be over
come in order to deal fairly with the entire state
in the matter of representation in the legislature.
A convention called by action of the people must
be composed of representatives from the differ
ent counties and that representation is based
the present membership of the various counties
in the legislature, so that the counties that
possess political power and advantage will have
the same preponderance in the constitutional con-
vention
AT the time, however, constitutional
convention could, very probably, work out very
much more equitable plan of representation than
now prevails owing to the changed conditions in
the state with reference to population and prog
ress
The Tampa Tribune directs attention to the
manner in which Pennsylvania has secured what
promises to be modern and workable constitu-
tion for that state. The legislature appointed
committee of twenty-five to frame a scientific
form of government. That committee has been
at work or two or three years and has made its
final report. 1t is now proposed to follow the
provisions of the state constitution, similar, it
would appear to those in the constitution of Flor
ida, and calls a convention to adopt the work of
the committee commission. ;s3-,
That suggestion might, possibly, be worked out
in connection with the inevitable movement in
this state to secure constitution. The forms
of the constitution could be carried out while
committee is at work on constitution. The
convention could meet and within day two
adopt the report and then the people could pass
upon the whole subject The difficulty, it ap-
pears to the Herald, consists in the fact that
the convention could not be controlled in that
way. 1t might think that it wanted an entirely
different organic act and there would be nothing
to prevent it's carrying out it's own wishes in the
matter .. .'ol' 81
In any event, if the coming Legislature refuses
to act in the matter of reapportionment we may
expect to hear much about the Imperative need
of constitutional convention and con-
stitution.