The Constitution mandates that a census be taken every 10 years to apportion representation in the House of Representatives equitably among the states. The House is made up of one Member from each congressional district geographically drawn by the states. From the 65 members of the House in the First Congress, membership grew with the country’s population until legislation passed in 1911 capped the total number of seats at 435. With continued population growth, each member of the House represents about 700,000 constituents today. Also, with each census, states gain and lose seats matching the distribution of people across the United States. The 14th Census results affect the House of Representatives because the census determines the representation in the House on the basis of population.
This cartoon was drawn by Clifford Berryman, one of Washington, DC’s best-known cartoonists in the early to mid-1900s. Berryman drew for the Washington Post and Evening Star newspapers. His cartoons touched on a variety of subjects including politics, elections, and both World Wars.
