Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1929-02-09

The reapportienmeut bill, already passed by the
lower house Of congress, calling for n reallocation OF
seats in the lower branch in accord with the national
census after 1890. promises a senate fight Of mighty
orstory. This fight is made possible only by the clear
ing Of the boards after the senates acrimonious debate
ever the cruiser bill.
Senator vandenburs. republican, Of Michigan. leader
Of the fight in the senate 70 pass the reappcrtionnent
bill. 10 ~ctermined to press it to a vote. Michigan,
incidentally. under the terms Of the bill, stands TO
gain four congressman. The outstanding aim OF the
measure is TO prevent legislative inertia from main
tanning the lower house in = state Of unbalanced repre-
s~sntsticn after each dseennial census. The fact thst
no resppcrtionment was made after the 1920 census.
AZ provided BY the constitution, will press double duty
upon congress when the 1850 census is completed.
Reapportionnaent after each census is n provision
cf the constitution which congress even now Is in dan
ger OF violating. The bill which is expected to open
the f~lecdsat.s Of senatorial orssory, provides that the
department Of commerce shall be charged with this
function IL congress fails. The house membership Of
ass would remain the same at all times. however.
Based on m estimate OF the 1880 census, the agricul-
tural states would lose = total Of about twenty-five
congressman whose seats would 10 TO the industrial
statss. rhis is due to the rapid development Of indus
trial eenters as compared with development Ct sgri-
cultural areas.
Losing soms Of their representation. are expected 10
vigorously oppose the measure. Some ssnators whose
states are net affected appear 70 be Indifferent, and
these from states expected 70 gain In representation
are strongly fer II.
Regardless Of which states gain or lose in the re-
superintendent. IL is obvious that 1t u the duty Of con-
gress to pass the bill. The provision was placed IL
the constitution for the express purpose Of assuring
equitable representation. II would be unwise TO en-
large the already cumbersome membership OF the
lower house; in fact, IL the measure called for = gen
ersi reduction there would be no great protest fFor
the public. though the party leaders could be relied
upon to "vIew with alarm" any effort to reduce tn.
fact that the house with its ass members is far more
number Of congressman. However. IL Is a notorious
efficient than the senate with its smaller number. In
fact. In point Of business transacted. the house has
established an eHviable record, and it is apparAt tina.
while TO increase should be considered. a decrease
would not improve the situation or result in greater
efficiency.
II IL unfortunate that the agricultural states viii
lose scre Of their representation. but the reprcscn-
tstion should be based upon population. and in this the
Industrial states have the advantages, due 70 the trend
in recent years from farm 70 city. This may be only
a temporary condition. No one can foresce what the
next ten years will bring forth, and the agricultural
states may be equally as determined 10 secure reappor-
ticnment after 1910 as the industrial states now are.