Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1853-10-18
The Revised Constitution.

posed TO the district system OF representation and,n
this, there is no doubt that they fairly represented
the will of their constituents, great majority of
whom wished to preserve the town representation.
1t would have been the height Of lolly then, to have
sent out district plan, alone, to the people. 1t
would have met certain rejeclion,and thus secured
the continuance of the present system.
But there was way Of retaining town repre-
sentatou. and keeping The size Of the House Of Rep
resentatives within ts proper limits without a SEEM
ing inequality, and, in fact, real inequality, so far
as numbers are concerned. The question, there
fore, was how 10 eqtaLize the inequality as far as
possible, and, practically to prevent its unequal OPP
Grafton. The present system, as we have already
seen, is grossly unequal in its practical operation,
gradually concentrating the political power vf the
whole State in Boston, aud few other large
towns. And the great injustice of is tina; the in-
equality is all in favor of The strong the powerful,
and the nhuenlial,and against the weak and power
less. The cities, by the general ticket SYSTEM are
enabled TO elect representatives, all Of one stamp,
while the small towns, eecting sing the few years
that they are allowed representatives, are divided
against each other, and thus placed entirely at
the mercy Of the cities.
This is well illustrated by glance at the Legis.
lature Of last year. Boston, for the first time for
many years, failed TO elect her full complement of
representatives, returning only 80 out Of the A.
Yet, even with these 30, let us see what was her
effective power.
There three other great Counties in the State,
each about equal in population to Boston, that of
Essex aud Worcester being each little less, and
that Of Middlesex little more. There is also the
old County of Hampshire, now forming the three
Counties Of Hampshire, Franklin, and Hampden,
containing about the amount Of population
Boston, electng by general ticket, and giving usually
about 25OO Wing majority, has effective vote, all
on one side, OF 80
Middlesex, with majority of about $500
against the Wings, has Al representatives,
rs Of which are Anti Wing, but 81 Of them
are offset and neuualized by that number of
wing representatives., leaving effective
vote Of only 5
Essex, with about 1000 majority against
the wings, has 80 representatives, Is anti.
whig, and IL of them neurazed by IL
wings, leaving an effective vote Of 6
Worcester, with 5000 majority against
the wings, has 81 representatives, of which
81 are anti-whig, and whig, leaving an
effective vote of 25
FrankIin,wh 400 10 500 majority against
the wings, has l6 representative, s wing
and ant-whig, balancing each other.
Hampden, with about 500 anti.whig ma.
jority has Is representatives, also balanced,
8 on each side.
Hampshire, with about 500 wing major
ity, has Is representatives, 10 wings, 5 of
which balanced by that number Of op-
ponents, leaving an effective wing vote of 8
Sc 40
Thus, we see, that Boston, with but about one.
fourth part much population as hsse other Coun-
ties and with but little more than one.seventh part
as many voters, and with majority aganOt her in
the popular of almost ten thousand, possesses,
under the present SYSTEM more direct political power
in the Legislature than all Of them combined, and is
able to control the of them all. This is the
system which the wings seek to perpeluate by offer.
ing to the people, in its stead, only system which
they know they will reject
The inequality, under the new Constitution, IN.
stead ofbe;ng concentrated into small compass, in
the hands Of the strong and powerful, is scattered
all over the State and so divided among the political
pares thar il will always neulraIze itself 1t is in the
hands of the small towns, containing from one to two
thousand NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. diversely located, with
opposing local interests, and Of different political
preferences, so that Boston and the other cities,
when all things are considered, will, practically,
still have their full share of political power.
The ci,ies,by the placing of the basis Of the Senate
upon populations instead Of legal voters, get great
advantage over the small towns, inasmuch as the
legal voters in the cities is only about two thirds
as great, in proportion population, as in the small
towns. For this, the towns were entitled 10 an
equivalent 10 the representation. The cities have
other advantages in their favor. They have the
advantage Of wealth, Of great concentration Of talent,
and Of concentrated and united action Boston 100.
by being the seat Of government, exercises great
social influence over the members OF the legislature
She is able, too command the greatest talen, IN
the legislature, because her members can I've attend
ing 10 Their own concerns, and, on any emergency,
be called in.o the House from their places of
business, in few minutes. Thus, even in the latter
part Of session, when The House has become thin
from the absence Of It's members, we find the "Boa.
on Host" present, almost TO man, on every impor.
iant vote.
Taking into view all these considerations, how
idle, how futile, is the objection, which the Wings
so vehemendy urge against The new Constitution,
that the cities and large towns are 10 be shorn, by
It, Of theiI righ.fuI share Of political power, and
that the small towns will have greatly more than
theh share. Ifpower consisted simply in relative
numbers, il might be so, but il does not, verify
believe that the cities will have more than their true
relative share Of influence under the new Consiiiu.
ton.
But, IL !, be found that they do mol, that instrument
provides easy, effective, and certain remedy. By
one Of its provisions the legislature Of 1885, 10 be
elected ony two years from this autumn, and alter
the new census is made, is obliged to make just
and equal district system, and submit Il 10 the people
r. ~ a..