Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-05-03
Stewart Points Out Why House
Dislikes to Reapportion Itself

10 years. up to and including 1910
Invariably have increased the size
Of the house Of representatives, x
cept once. In 1910.
That was all very WE'LL agrees
Senator Vandenberg. until the total
began running SO high into the hun
dreds.
when the bounds Of reason are
passed, the quality Of a legislative
assembly ceases 10 improve with In
creases in quantity. The reverse is
the case. The management Of the
whole thing gravitates into the
hands Of a few men.
Besides. we presently shall be
unable to house such an army
Already we have had to tear out
the desks from the representatives
chamber. leaving the members only
benches. to sit on. Next we shall
have to cut their accommodations
down to a sawdust floor, and make
them stand up
Congressional representation ought
to have been reapportioned follow
ing the censu Of 1920. but the states
which knew they were bound to lose
by II have succeeded in staving it
off for these nine years.
At this late day, it is recognized
that nothing can be done about
1920.
AS for 193O-the states which
have been euchred out Of their fair
number Of congressman for SO long
are determined not to permit a sim
liar defiance Of their rights and of
the constitution to continue for
very long after the census OF that
year.
Senator Vandenberg IS leading
these states fight.
His own state of Michigan is one
OF the worst sufferers. Entitled 70
IL representatives. il has only IL.
California has been still worse VIC
timized. with six fewer than It's
rightful quota.
Anyway. the Michigan senator is
reapportionment's standard bearer,
With the extra sessions opening
he put in his bill for a new deal
It is not the first of its kind. Con-
gresham Z. Fl. Fem OF Connect
cut-the nutmeg state Is a repre-
sentative shy of its rights-was the
author Of such a bill at the last
regular session. Many had preceded
It. In n way or another, all of
them were sncthered.
Senator Vandenberg Is a COM
bative lawmaker. They viii not
Strangle his legislative child .tithout
an awful row.
Senator Pat Harrison of Missis-
sippi-which stands to lose a couple
OF representatives If the Vanden-
berg measure passes-i5 Othallo-ln-
chief IN the matter OF suffocatine
reapportiC ment bills.
This arouses Senator Va,den-
berg's ire.
Why. Michigan and California. :
he says. have congressional dis
tricts, each with more inhabitants
than Mississippi's entire population.
Can you beat it?"
Moreover" continues the Mich
igan legislator. "apportionment Is
not a mere question OF a few repre-
sentatives more or less for the va
rious states.
1T is a fundamental issue Of
equal representative government.
1T Is the basis for determining
the respective states number ..
presidential electors. It may de-
eide the country's choice CT a White
House occupant.
1T Is provided for in the first ar
ticle of the constitution. and rightly
SO. II Is the most important"
The Vandenberg bill not only pro-
poses to settle the apporttonment
argument. but to settle H. for good
to avoid a repetition or the last nine
years deadlock.
On the day congress meets after
each census. the president Is 10 ten
the lawmakers what changes are re-
CURED. based on the then establish
ed number OF representatives. divided
up by the same arithmetical method
employed by congress the last time.
Congress will then be given a year
to adapt itself to new conditions in
any fashion it may see fit. It may
increase the number Of representa-
tives. II may vary It's mathematics.
1t may follow its own sweet will.
For a yearl But If it does moth
ing at all. at the end OF that period
the Encouragement outlined BY the
president is to become effective
forthwith.
Lawyers call that an enabling
act" observed the senators. with
out II. the first article OF the con-
stitution means no more than the