Each county and each district consist
ing of two or more counties, having a
population equal to the numerical unit
of representation in the assembly (alleged
to be 16.868). is entitled absolutely to one
member of assembly, unless it should be
found necessary to place a countv not
thus entitled to a member in a district
with a county which would otherwise of
itself he entitled to one member. Chap
ter 482. violates the foregoing rule. For
example, it gives to La Crosse county
with 38,801 inhabitants, but one member
of assembly, while it gives Manitowoc
county with 37,831 inhabitants, three
members.
It may be urged that any inequality of
representation in the different assembly
districts is in a measure removed, or com
pensated for, in the formation of senate
districts, as, for example. La Crosse
county, which is deprived of one assem
blyman to which it is absolutely entitled,
is made a senate district although it lacks
about 1.300 inhabitants of the numer
ical unit of representation for a senate
district. On any proper rule of appor
tionment, this cannot be done, for the
very conclusive reason that the constitu
tion gives each county an absolute right
to its proportionate representation in the
assembly, without regard to its represen
tation in the senate. Moreover, the
assembly district is the territorial unit of
the senate district, and the latter cannot
be intelligently formed until the limits of
the assembly districts are established.
