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Show I For the State First - : i- IrfTHE past the sessions of the legislature have - been too much marked by the spirit of sectionalism. sec-tionalism. Officials, representing, a district, displayed dis-played a feeling that their first duty was by the district and not by the state. Naturally, sections having a similarity of interests combined against those that were not particularly interested in the sectional end of the problem, in the. legislatures of the past there has been a marked distinction between city and country delegates and often the sessions were punctuated by open clashes between the two factions. Members of the present legislature should bear these facts in mind as they undertake plans for- the - reapportionment of membership -in the legislature. The new law should be guided by one impelling motive and that is an apportionment apportion-ment which will place the state above sectionalism. sectional-ism. The welfare of the whole is to be considered con-sidered before the interests of any particular section. We are bound to admit that this is not an easy task since in his owndistrict the legislator is likely to be measured by his sectional gains. And yet legislators must rise to the occasion -and eiry home tn their constituents the lealiiatroir that the legislature must give first consideration to the state, without regard for district or sectional lines. Under this reasoning the majority interests must be considered to constitute the state, since this is our accepted form of government. Hence I the new apportionment must be based on population popu-lation and not on territorial or industrial boundaries. boun-daries. Unless the apportionment is based on population, majority rule cannot become -a fact, since any other scheme would prevent holding to the rule throughout the institutions of government. govern-ment. The legislature must keep the interest of the individual in mind for it is manifestly unfair to permit the county with a few hundred souls to exercise the same voice as the county with a population of thousands. The individual cannot be assured of majority rule unless the majority - vote in the legislature $ truly reflatUi; uf 'A majority of the people of the state. |