The Washington times., 1929-06-07
NEAS(JRE.
law IN
WEEK
~ -IntsrnatIonaI, New. Service


The rural population will
surrender control of the House
OF Representatives for the
first time since the nation was
formed under the Fem reap.
Gportionment bill which Con.
gTess has now passed after
nine years Of evading its con.
stitutional duty.
This Is the conclusion of all fac
uons engaged in an S-year fight
over the measure.
The bill, described by many as
the most important act of Congress
In years, is expected to be law
within a week. Both Senate and
House have passed it, and confer.
ence committees must iron out only
minor differences. President Hoover
will sign it.
Changes F0regone
Under the bill, membership OF
the House. Of Representatives will
be feapportioned among the States
after the 1880 census and on its
basis. The States will then realign
their congressional districts accord.
ing to population.
Based on Census Bureau estimates
OF the 1880 census the measure is
expected to:
/. Make the urban or city vote,
including towns Of $500 or more,
predominant in electing members
of the House.
2. Give the great cities and in.
dustrial centers more Congressmen,
and probably materially increase
the anti-prohibitionists of the House.
3. Give sthe Republican party at
least six more electoral votes for
President since the number of
electors is governed by the number
of representatives, and northern
normally Republican States will
gain most.
States to Gain
4. Increase the number of rep
kresentatives in States as follows:
Arizona, /; California, 6; Connecti-
cut, Florida, / each: Michigan. 4;
New Jersey, 2: North Carolina, /:
Ohio, 3; Oklahoma, /; Texas, 2;
Washington, /.
5. Decrease State representation
in the House as follows: Missouri.
81 Mississippi, Indiana, Iowa,
Kentucky, two each; Alabama.
Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Massa.
chusetts, Nebraska, New York,
North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Ten
nessee, Vermont. Virginia, one each.
Although the Constitution directs
q reapportionment of the House
as the popular branch Of the
Government-every 10 years, no
reapportionment was made on the
1920 census.
, Present membership of the House
Is based on the 1910 census, which
showed an agricultural population
of 1896, ,146 to an urban popula-
ton of 42,116,120. In 1920 the
urban population moved up to
59,304 sos as compared to a rural
population of 51,406,017 1t has
been estimated that in 1880 about
go per cent of the nations popula-
tion will be living in cities.
Cities Will Control
Representation in the House thus
would be transferred from it's pres
elt basis of AZ per cent city popu-
the "city vote" control.
During the long fight, representa-
tfves from Midwest agricultural and
Southern States which will lose
members and power have fought
the reapportionment. They have
assailed the 1920 census as unre-
liable because of the disturbed con.
ditions after the war.
Big cities of the country have
long contended that they are denied
equal representation in Congress.
They point to Los Angeles, which
has one Representative for 100000
people, while several Missouri Rep
resentatives represent less than
200, 600 people.
New York city. Chicago, Detroit
Cleveland and other fast growing
cities all are expected to gain Repre-.
sentatives at the expense of the
rural districts of New York, Illinois
and Michigan.