The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1922-07-08
STATE REINFORCEMENT
(Lake Worth Leaderl


the theory that all the people shall
have equal representation in the law
making power. This is the states
Legislature. Having had that in mind
authors of Florida's constitution in
serted the following section in that
document which is known as the su-
preme law. of the state:
"The legislature shall meet A. d.
1887 and those that shall meet every
ten years thereafter shall apportion
the representation in the senate. The
whole number of senators not to ex-
coed 80 members; and at the same
time shall also apportion the repre-
sentation in the house of representa-
Itives the whole of representatives not
to exceed 60 members. The repre-
sentation in the house of representa-
tives shall be apportioned among the
several counties as near as possible
according to the population; Provid-
ed, each county shall have one repre-
sentative at large in the house of rep
resentatives, and no county shall have
more than three representatives"
1t will be noted that the language
of the constitution is neither permits
sive nor directory. 1t is mandatory.
If the men who are elected to the
Legislature in neither house fail to
make apportionment at the ten-year
term of the legislature in compliance
with the foregoing section of the con-
stitution, they will be derelict in their
duty and fill violate their oaths of
office. 1t hardly is to be assumed
that they will fail the people who
elect them. There may be men in the
next legislature who are INSCRIPTIONS.
Likely there will be men there who
do not understand their duties under
the constitution. The main body of
members, nevertheless, surely will be
men of honor and sense, and there
seems to be little likelihood of failure
of apportionment at the proper ses-
sion of the legislature.
The last census report shows that
many counties in north Florida are
standing still. Some may be losing
in population. South Florida coun-
ties, and those of the middle sections
are gaining in population with aston
ishing rapidity. With this know
ledge before them members hardly
will lack the hardihood to fail to fair
ly and justly reapportion the legisla-
tive body so that all parts of the state
will have equal representation based
on the number of persons in each
county-as nearly as possible-even
though some of the older and more
sparsely settled counties may lose
members.
While the language of the constitu-
ton is mandatory, no method of COM
polling re-apportionment is provided.
1t seems to have been contemplated
that the people-the supreme law of
the land in the last analysis-would
elect to such an august body as leg
islature only men of the highest sense
of honor, fairness and justice; men
who would not stoop so low as to
prostitute their duties under the con-
stitution to petty partisan or tract
ional benefits. Thus the matter of
proper apportionment of the state
the representation in the house-in
its finality is left to the people to
elect.
1t appears that mistakes have been
made. 1t has been suggested that
trades have been made whereby a
vote against re-appoortionment has
been paid for by vote for some pet
measure. 1t is a mistake to elect a
man who will trade his vote. Such
a person is not fit to represent his
constituents, no matter from what
county he may come, and it now is
the duty of the people to look to the
votes of their representatives in the
lower house as well as in the upper
If they prove recreant to their trust
defeat them the next time they show
their heads and make it warm fol-
them still while they are law makers
| Most assuredly should the state OF
| EyIor1Io he ~