the river. Monroe, Randolph, and Chariton assure the outcome in the 2d district, as do Marion, Lewis, and Shelby in the 1st. In the 9th the heavy vote of Audrain, Ralls, Callaway, and Pike is needed to counterbalance the Republican ballots of the German counties of the lower Missouri. In thus safeguarding the Democracy of Missouri the lines are drawn not around, but across Atchisors Worth Noda Gentry Holt Andrew ST4 D3 Schuy Chariton Monroe Ralls Carroll Pike Platte Randolph Ray 9 Clay Audrain 81 10 St.Louis 12 ST. LOUIS 11 Cole Osage Franklin Jeffer Miller Marnes son Washin Dallas Laclede. 13 Perry Dent ¡Bartón 16 Dade Webster deau Greene Wright Texas Jasper Christian Douglas Carter Stoddard Missis Sippi Newton FIG. 3. CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS IN MISSOURI areas of common interest and tradition. North Missouri therefore may also be said to be gerrymandered. Along the Arkansas border, the 14th district pairs the cotton farmer of the Southeastern Lowlands with the native of the remote White River hills in Stone and Taney counties, most Ozarkian of the Ozarks. A more ill-matched group would be hard to find. There is not even direct communication between extremities of this district. To get from northern Dunklin County to Taney County, for example, it would be necessary to go to St. Louis (passing through Illinois), thence to Springfield, transferring there to a third railroad after making a circuit of half the state and going through a neighboring state. The gerrymander may also be based upon inequality of size of electoral districts. The population in 1910 of the congressional districts of Missouri was as follows (figure in parentheses indicates value of individual vote in district on basis of a normal value of one in a district of average population, 205, 833): One vote in Boone County is as effective as three in St. Louis County or in a part of St. Louis City. The 10th district is incontestably Republican. It has therefore been allowed to include as many Republican voters as possible. The 14th district, if terminated at the west by Ripley County, would be the equivalent of the Southeastern Lowlands, and would have the normal population of a Missouri district. The district, as thus constituted would be strongly Democratic. Accordingly we find the gratuitous addition of seven Ozark counties, including five of the most solidly Republican counties of the state. The result is a small but usually safe Democratic majority. These oversized districts are compensated for by others of small population, as the 8th and 16th, which could not be enlarged readily without endangering their Democratic status. By these nice adjustments of size and boundary the Democratic party has stretched an exceedingly slight majority to a control of seveneighths of the seats in Congress. In figure 4 the congressional districts are cut on geographic patterns in so far as geographic districts can be harmonized with the normal population requirements. If party alignment is related to economic conditions, the result should divide the districts fairly among the two parties. Perhaps the strongest economic and social contrasts are be Missouri has two tween the large cities and the rural districts. cities, St. Louis and Kansas City, exceeding the population of an average congressional district-205,833, in 1910. St. Louis, with a population of 687,029 in 1910, is entitled to three full congressional districts. Kansas City, with 248,381, should constitute a FIG. 4. GEOGRAPHIC REARRANGEMENT OF CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS IN MISSOURI district without the addition of the rest of Jackson County. If, on the basis of the census of 1910, four full congressional districts were created out of these two cities, the average population of the remaining districts of the state would be reduced to 196,494. That of the four urban districts would average 233,850. This disparity in size is counterbalanced by the greater number of aliens and other nonresidents among the city population. In the rearrangement of the rural districts, recognition is given first of all to the unity of the Missouri River counties. Below Kansas City, these may be grouped readily into three districts. The eastern district (9 in fig. 4) is in most intimate touch with St. Louis, all important connections being with that city. It has more rough hill land than the more westerly sections, and farming conditions are somewhat less good, at least until dairying is introduced. The people are predominantly of German descent, primarily grain farmers. The western district (3) is similarly related to Kansas City, consists of excellent glacial prairie, loess, and alluvial lands, of smooth surface, and is an important producer of cattle, hogs, and corn. The central river district (8) includes the heart of the Boonslick country and the old settlements to its northeast. It is equally well connected with St. Louis and Kansas City, but has also important commercial relations with Chicago. This area by location and tradition is the heart of the state, inhabited by the oldest and proudest Missouri stock, and seat of the state capitol and university. The unity of the Mississippi River counties is preserved in district 1, with Hannibal as central city. The prairie counties of northwest Missouri are similarly centered about St. Joseph (4). The remainder of northern Missouri (2) forms a compact district, with similar agricultural conditions, and without a dominant center of population or line of communication. In southern Missouri the Osage Plain (6) is of exactly the proper size to constitute a congressional district. The Southeastern Lowlands, by the addition of a bit of the adjacent upland, furnish another (14). As Cape Girardeau owes its importance to this section, it is quite properly placed within the lowland district. The four populous commercial and mining counties of the southwestern Ozark border form a district (7) in which urban influences prevail. There remain the northern part of the Ozarks proper (16), the southern Ozark counties (15), and the eastern Ozarks (13). The last is a complex area, made up of a number of smaller areas. It is, however, fairly well connected by railroad lines, and economically is partially dominated by the St. François lead mining region. By this classification compact districts have been secured, with a maximum accessibility of counties to each other, and due regard has been given to economic and historic bonds. No attention was paid to securing a proportionate representation of the two parties. Nevertheless such a result is secured, as shown by the following table of the normal results of congressional election in the districts as thus constituted: On a strictly partisan election the congressional representation would be evenly divided. Ordinarily, the Democrats would have a slight advantage. Under favorable circumstances one party might gain 10 to the other's 6. In this rearrangement of districts the maximum deviation of population from the normal population of a Missouri district does not exceed 6 per cent (census of 1910). KENTUCKY The state of Kentucky constitutes in essence part of a slope that leads up to the crest of the Cumberland sector of the Appalachians. From the mouth of the Tennessee River to the Virginia boundary the land rises steadily. The result is that the higher eastern portion of the slope, by dissection, has assumed mountainous characteristics and is commonly called the Mountains of Kentucky (fig. 5, IV), whereas the western portion (II) is hilly, or merely rolling. Evidently no sharp line separates these two areas, however strong their contrast of surface and economic conditions. Several tiers of counties in fact constitute a transition zone, in which, as one goes westward, the hills gradually decrease and the prosperity of the inhabitants even more gradually shows improvement. A rude dividing line may be drawn west of the headwaters of the Cumberland River. |