Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 36, Number 49, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 February 1904 — A Decision Against The Apportionment. [ARTICLE]

A Decision Against The Apportionment.

The Democrats have won the first round in their fight against the new state senatorial and representative apportionment law. The onsa started in the Boone Circuit Court, at Lebanon, has already been decided by Judge S. R. Artman, who is himself a Republican and a former speaker of the Indiana Hoose of Representatives. He decides that the apportionment is uncouetitu tionsl and invalid and mentions many instances of unequal representation to support his decision He mentions, for instance that ten certain senatorial district that have ten senators and ought to Pave eleven, while ten other districts that have ten senators, ought only to have eight, on the basis of population In Representative districts he mentions thirteen counties that have thirteen Representatives which ought to have fifteen; and thirteen other counties that have thirteen when they ought to have only ten. The Judge says the law was evidently oomtnosd on David Harun ’h version of the Golden Rule, namely “do onto the other fellow what he would do to you, and do it first.” Judging from Judge Artman’a citarion of facts the Supreme Court will be likely to affirm hia decision and declare the law iivalid, which will leave the former apportionment in force. And that reminds us that now, as when the apportionment matter was before the Legislature, we favor* dan apportionment, both Congressional and Legislative bat-ed absolutely and entirely on population and contiguity of territory, with entire disregard to political results. For all that, howev-r the bill now under examuiHtior is fairness itself oompared with the last state apportionment made by the Democrats. Au eight-year-old boy was very much smitten with a little girl that ci's Hoross the aisle from him at eo’jool. The other day his mother noticed, as he was starting fur Hcriool that one of his ears was not clean while the other was "Johniiv,” she said, “why don’t vou w-eh your left ear?’’ “Wot's the use ma?” he returned, “Minnie don’t sit on that side.”