Unequal Representation

Tliere is one sectional issue that will never down until it is wlpefl out of existence, and that is the representation oï the sovithcrn etatea in'congress. If the representation oï the former elave states in congress were only proportionate to the vote which the politkal despots of the south permit at the polls, the enactment of the Wilson bilí would be imposible. There is a fact ïor men who believe in justice to remember. The following table gives the vote of all the states, and the number of eongressmen chosen in each : Vote in No. of Reps. California - - 2i;;i,!)2 Colorado - && 4 ( ouueotlcut. - l'4.,tu x TchlhO lilAil' -J Illinois - - 87S.fij6 2pi Indiana 554,(IH1 i g-IM J6 - o.'l.NM i Mine 116, 3 nlmsetis 891.U2X i. ■ in ...- 4WO.217 17 - ■ i ; ;i . - - 367.28tí í .', n - 44,315 aska- - ÏOU,- 6 vttda JU.S7I 1 fJewJerseï 33747 h New Hmpsliire s'.i.S2s 2 5 ork 1,866.145 34 b ünkotii S6.118 1 - 8fiil,98 21 m ,4!il 2 - 1 Ivania l,0OS,10 Khode Island &?.' ' ,-l-A 7i..lS 2 ■ :;it 65.774 -' Washington. - 87.9S9 2 onsiu 87l.(.7( 1U Wyomiog 17.70Ü 1 !n the Btates v.iiich abolished slavery before the slaveholders" rebelliou or else were never tainted by that curse. 8,051,108 men voed in 1892 and elected ■J-'J representatives in eongre-s. The average number oï vote.s casi was 37,777 for each representative. With the exception oi the three lar western states of Idaho, Nevada and Wyoming, which elected only a single congressman apicce, not one oí the nortnern states cast less than 25,000 votes Lor every eongressman who represented it at Washington. Even v.'here the result of the ! etion was known in adv, ■mee the average was usually over 30,000. The eorresponding figures íor the former glave states are as follows : Vote in Xo. of 1892 Reps. labama __ 2;'.4.74! ; Arkausae _ Is7'í)9 ü Deluware 87,242 í florida _ ;5,JB1 2 Ueorgia 22S,94fl 11 Kentucky 340.S44 li Loulsunu 114,115 (i Maryland 213,275 o' Missisislppi 52,O9 7 Missouri 54U,8(iü ló North Carolina 28u.(i(i5 9 South Carolina 7U.4J4 7 'lenuessee 2b7,óUS 10 Texas 4i(j,4l4 18 Virginia 2J2,;52 1U West Vlrgiula 171.071 4 Total 8,44it,Wl 127 It will be seen tiiat in the sixteen states whicli clung to slayery uut il civii v;iv broke down the power oí the Southern sellers of men, womeu and chlldren, oply 3,449,941 votes werè cast for president, but 127 representatives in congre.ss were elected. i av( rage numBer of votes íor every congreesman elected was 27,lüi, or just 10,jlo hsí than the average in the northern states. The difierence ecjuals 3'J per cent. of tlie suuthera vote. That is to sáy, ií the north were glven the same representation, inproportion to the wliole vote whicli It casts, thai the smtili eújbys, there would be 39 per cent, more meuibers of congress (rom the northern states. Jnsteaii of 229 votes against the 127 oí the south, the nartli would have 318. To reverse the method oí ealculation, the average vote, at the last presldential election, for every southern congressinan was 10,013 les-s than the average in the nortli, and the differense was 28 per cent, oí the (uil normal vote as shown in the north. ïherelore, a just proportionate representation of the southern states would be 28 per cent less than 127 congretsmen. or just ninety-one. II the south had no more representatlon, in proportion to the votes which it casts than the north, the división between the sections would be 229 ior the north and 91 ior the t-outh. The consequences in national legislation would be momentous, and the Wilson liill, In its present form, or anything Lke i, could never have been ïorced througb the house oí representatives. This question oí unequal representation la a sestlonal issue which will not down at the bidding ol any guilty party. It is not a siiame and cursi ol the pas. alone, but ol the present and the future. It persista in all i!s monstrous Injustice, and it can never be settled until the evil is wiped i:ut of existen :e. Unequal representation in the congress ói the Cnited States is a live ifgue. This country can not affprd to throw süver away as e money metal. Blmetalism must be worked out in some way. It is evident that thi.s administration i-v.n never do it, how ever. It is too much under the eon control oí "Wall st. It is a gold bug administration. In reply to an item in the Courie the Adrián Pre.-s remarks : "Thank for credentials ; but we shall not b able to get a job till the editor o the Courier dies or resigns- and w would not ask too much ; thougl were Samson alive he would prob nbly borrow the Courier man's J;n bons and slay him for having mis spelled liis name.'" The Press ma is very astute.