Democratic Sentinel, Volume 6, Number 12, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 April 1882 — A Question of Gerrymandering. [ARTICLE]

A Question of Gerrymandering.

Republican journals published along the line of the Mississippi and in dose relation with Missouri are frantic in their denunciation of the Governor of that State because he called the Legislature together to reapportion the State. Granting that it was an unnecessary proceeding, since the added Congressman might ns well have been elected at large, what more sense is there in abusing Gov. Crittenden than in defaming Gov. Cullom ? The latter has called the Illinois Legislature together for the self-same purpose. It is true that the apportionment in Illinois is to be for more than Congressional purposes, but the Assembly districts should have been made last winter. It is charged that the Democrats of Missouri desire to gerrymander the State. No doubt this is tnie. But, with the incentive of a Senator to gain next winter, as well as the strengthening of the party Congressional lines, pan it be said by the journals critcising the Missouri Democrats that the Illinois Republicans are devoid of a purpose to gerrymander Illinois ? Some suggestive figures may be grouped in this connection: Missouri voted : Hancock 208,600 Garfield 153,567 Weaver 85,185 Delegation elected : Democrat* H Repub leans j Illinois voted: Hancock 277,821 Garfield 31H,0..7 Weaver 26,858 Delegation elected : Deiuoerata ♦' Republican* W Total : Voten. J>elrv«ten. Democrats 455,028 14 Republicans 471,594 14 Gri'enbaekers 61,593 4 Taking the States together, the Republicans have nothing to complain of. Numerically smaller, they have unequal delegation in Congress, and the Greenback representation, which practically is Republican; and the status of the two States is such as to discover the motive of the Illinois Republican journals in furthering a gerrymander by their party in Illinois and in denouncing any change in Missouri.— Chicago Times.