Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-11-24
The Political Mill

By G.. Gould Lincoln.
The Republicans Of Massachusetts, are
in stew over redistrictjng the State 50
as to have Is instead Of 16 congress
sional districts. under the new reap
portionment of the House. The trouble
all lies in the fact that the Democrats
this year elected o Democratic Cover
nor-with the aid Of some Republican
voters. The G. o. p. has control Of
both Houses Of the State Legislature,
but it has not SUFFICIENT votes in the
State House to pass q redistricting bill
over Gov. Joseph B. Ely's veto. In other
words, the Democratic Governor, II he
wishes, may turn down the Republican
redistricting bill should he believe that
the districts have been SO arranged as
to give the Republicans q chance to
elect more than half of the whole State
delegation. If there is q deadlock be-
tween the Legislature and the Demo-
cratic Governor over this legislation,
then under the new reapportionment
law, Massachusetts, will In 1882 elect its
members Of the House at large" all Of
them.
If it becomes necessary to elect all
the Massachusetts, delegation to the
House "at large" the Democrats might
elect the entire delegation to the
Seventy-third Congress. This might
easily happen If the Democratic can
didate for President should be popular
In Massachusetts, and carry the State,
as oio Al smith two years ago. Further
more, the Democratic candidates for
both Governor and Senator were elected
fnf x.,f< IL
ing that the Democrats are plenty
strong in Statewide elections in the
Old Bay State, notwithstanding the fact
tnat In the present Massachusetts, dele
CATION In the House IL Of the members
are Republicans and four are Demo-
Gratis. The Democrats charge that the
congressional districts have been 50 laid
out that the Republicans are given all
tne advantage. They insist the State
mas peen "gerrymandered" by the Re-
pupncans, who In the past have had
both Governor and State legislature
when 1t came time to lay out these con-
gressional districts.
y X
Or course, If a new redistrictinV bill
1aliS In the 1881 Legislature Of Massa-
cnusettS and 1t becomes necessary to
elect all the Representatives at large,
tne Republicans would have a chance
OF eIectlng all Is members of the House.
700. II times should improve greatly in
the next Two years and business becomes
good IN Massachusetts,, the Republican
national administration might have a
pun with the people Of the State and
the Republican presidential candidate
carry with him to election the Repub-
hcan candidates for Representatives,
Inc Republican party In Massachu.
sets, however, has been severely split
over the liquor issue. II the Democratic
party takes the wet side of the prohi-
Dition issue in the 1892 presidential
campaign and the Republican the dry,
tne chances OF the Republicans carry
ing the State for President or for is
members of the House at large viii not
be 50 good. The Republicans certainly
stuoDeo their toe when they permitted
the election Of a Democrat as Governor
In this particular year. Another wear
might not have made 50 much differ.
ence.
There are States besides Massachu-
sets where the redistricting Of the
congressional districts may cause trou-
pie not unlike that In Massachusetts,.
For example: Ohio Is entitled to two
more congressional districts under the
reapport1onment announced by Presi-
dent Hoover. Ohio elected George
White, Democrat, Governor this year.
AND while the Legislature is Republican,
Gov. White, when he goes into ONCE.
VII! nave good deal to say about the
laying OF the congressional districts.
In Ohio, however, which Is q pretty
strong Republican State, the Democrats
might not be so willing to risk the en-
tire State delegation in the House to q
Statewide election. They might lose
there more than they would gain under
such an arrangement. Indiana loses a
congressional district. The Hoosier
Democrats elected q majority OF the
State House of Representatives in the
recent unpleasantneSS, which gives them
chance to make trouble for the Re-
publican State Senate and the Repub-
1ican Governor when the redistricting
Is undertaken.
The Congress. when Il meets here in
December, might relieve the situation
considerably for the Republicans of
Massachusetts,, Indiana and other States
by simply amending the reapportion-
the House membership, thereby pre-
venting any Of the States from losing
representation In the House and MAX
ing redistricting In those States I'M
necessary. The additional ~ seats
would take care Of the States which are
because of their increased
to more seats in the House.
&&*
The Republican organization leaders
in Kentucky are flirting with the idea
OF making the party in the Blue Grass
State wet" when the 1882 campaign
rolls round. They have not committed
themselves openly to such q program
yet. But they are considering 1t. They
have q candidate In mind for the SEN
ate two years hence, former Gov. Edwin
T. Morrow, and 1t has been reported
that II Morrow runs, he will take the
wet side Of the prohibition issue-that
Is, he would be for some kind of modi- |
f1cation OF the existing national pro-
hibition laws. In that year Senator
Barley, Democrat, and one of the dry
est of the drys, will come up for re-
election. If the Democrats nominate a
wet candidate for President, as many of |
them now believe they will do, and write
into their party platform some plan for
then Senator Barley will
find himself out Of line with the stand
OF party nationally, unless he, too, should
modify his dry position.
X X \
Gov. Morrow is regarded by some Of
the Republican leaders as their best bet
FOR the senatorial race. He was elected
Governor Of the State more than q dec
ade ago and has q personal following
which should aid him. The prohibition
issue did not come up in the last cam
paign, which resulted in the defeat Of
Senator Robson, Republican, by Ben
for the short term" and
Judge M. M. Logan for the long term.
It may appear strange that the Repub- |
leans should think of turning to the