Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 41, Number 115, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 October 1909 — Indiana May Gain Another Member In National House. [ARTICLE]

Indiana May Gain Another Member In National House.

Some speculation is being indulged in as to the effect the new census will have on the Indiana representation in the national congress, and it is not improbable that another district will have to be made to provide for one more congressman. The present number of districts, thirteen, has existed since the census of 1870, the reason being that congress had frequently increased the representation just enough to maintain the same number of congressmen, and the ratio of representation has been changed by occasional redistricting of the state or a new gerrymander as it has been called. The censuses of 1880, 1890 and 1900 show large increases of population, but congress in each case changed the ratio of representation and Indiana’s allotment of congressmen continued the same. Following the census of 1880 congress raised the ratio of representation to 161,911. In 1890 it was raised still further to 173,901, and in 1900 it was fixed at 194,162, which will remain the ratio until congress establishes a new unit. , It is interesting to know that when Indiana was first organized as a state it was given one representative in congress. In 1820 the basis of representation allowed three; in. 1830, seven; in 1840, ten; from 1850 to 1860, eleven. In 1890 Indiana came nearly losing one congressman and there was great consternation among the politicians. Under the unit of representation established by the census of that year Indiana would haye had required a population of 2,524,366 to be entitled to thirteen representatives. The actual population as shown by the census wjxs 2,516,462. This was 7,904 short of the requisite number. It was finally arranged, at the urgent insistence of some of the Indiana political leaders, that the rule should be stretched a little and that Indiana should continue to have thirteen members of the lower branch of congress. The government's preliminary estimate of Indiana’s population next year is 2,775,000. This is but little more than a guess, and it is considered -conservative, rather than extravagant. Accepting it Is reasonable Indiana would have an excess of 250,634 people over the number required under the present unit of apportionment to give the state thirteen congressmen. The increase of population may turn out to be largely above this estimate, as there has been a rapid influx in the industrial region of northwestern Indiana as well as in other sections of the state. Whether Indiana will be allowed one or more additional congressmen, or whether the number will remain as at present, depends entirely upon tie new basis

of representation to be fixed by congress. The chances, however, are that Indiana’s congressional quota will be increased. The admission of Oklahoma into the house of representatives to the high-water mark of 391. There is a very distinct feeling among influential congressmen that the body is getting unwieldly and should not be made much larger, but with the large increase in population in Indiana during the last decade it is hardly conceivable that the unit of representation should be enlarged to the point of shutting out an additional, or fourteenth, member from this state. Representative Crumpacker, of Indiana, will be much in evidence when the important problem of readjusting the congressional unit is taken up in congress. As chairman of the census committee it will be his duty to bring in a bill fixing the new ratio of representation. Of course he will consult with the party leaders befor'e doing this and whatever unit is finally agreed upon will represent the consensus of party wisdom on the subject. _lt is probable that President Taft will have a good deal to say about it, as he is ex-officio, the head of the party in power. Before a settlement is reached there is likely to be a very animated discussion over the disfranchisement of the negro in the south as it is dexteriously accomplished through the medium of "grandfather” clauses and other clever legislative devices. Mr. Crumpacker has long insisted that the basis of congressional representation should be the votes that are actually cast in a state instead of the population of a state. As practically applied this rule would sefre to cut down the congressional representation of states where the negro is not allowed to vote. At present non-voting negroes are counted in making up the basis of congressional apportionment.