Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1880-10-29
Town Representation and the Township
system.

System.
The great objection, We are told, TO a
change from town representation in the Leg
islature to representation based on popua-
ton, is that sit would break into the COM
pleteness of the New England idea of the
town" And in this connection we find
the remark of the Frcnchman De Tocque
vile quoted. that town meetings are to
liberty what primary schools are to science
they bring it within the peoples reach, they
teach men how to use AMI enjoy it,
To this We have TO say, that town rcprcs-
entation in the legislature is not an essential
or necessary or valuable part OF the township
system if il can be said to be at all part of
it :; and further, that De Tocqucvlle did not
say what is thus attributed to him. What
he said was that ''mgniipal institutions are
to liberty what primary schools are to
science, etc, which is saving quite another
thing. The misguota!ion could hardly have
been accidental The reader who will
take the trouble to rfr to his
boOk. Will ste pS ip'iut''Ait i''
no thought of including the election of
Representatives 10 the Legislature among
municipal institutions in America. The
municipal institutions of which he was writ
in. were those of local sclf-governmcnt,
pertaining 10 the town or city-such as the
care of the schools and roads and paupers, and
the taxation and expenditures for these and
other local purposes. The Intelligent French
man would have been one of the last TO ap-
plaudan arrangement which allows the ham
let of hundred inhabitants the same voice
in State legislation as the city of twelve
thousand and which gives the control of
the legislative branch of the State Govern
mcnt, the election of the Judiciary anu the
appointment of the subordinate State officers
to the representatives of minority of the
voters. One hundred and Mirty-sereR of the
towns in Vermont, by the last census, have
each less than 1000 Inhabitants. These
towns contain in all less than 100, 900 inhab-
itants They constitute less than hird OF
the State, in population, business and wealth.
Yet, having the majority of the representa-
tives, they have the power of almost abso-
lutte control OF the other two-ihirds of the
people, as represented in the Legislature.
No such undemocratic feature as
this is essential TO the township sys
tenn That system remains the same,
in all its valuable features in the
demonstrating the majority Of New
England, and the great majority OF the
Union which base the composition OF their
general assemblies on population. The
March meeting, with its discussions of town
expenses ard care of the schools and other
matters of local government, has the same
educating influence and is the same school of
liberty in Massachusetts as in Vermont. 1t
would be the same in Vermont, under Scna-
tor Henry's amendment, as it is now.
AS regards the educating influence of the
General Assembly, if that body is TO be
maintained as 4 school Of politics and public
affairs. rather than as machine 10 perform
certain distinct functions of State government
then let its benefits be more equally dstri-
buted. I'VE believe in giving the people in
the small towns chance" says an advocate
of the present arrangement But why
should quarter Of the people of the State
have three times the chances allowed
the other three-quarters q: Why should
the e. inhabitants Of Somerset be
"a.
and the developing influence of representa-
ton in the Legislature, any more than any
other G. inhabitants, collected in Il school
district or other social aggregation: As the
St. Adams Messenger has said, the popula-
ton OF Vermont is remarkably homogcne-
Gus and being so each citizen should have
the same chances open to him. Bat, under
Our present system, while in Somerset
voters chance 10 90 to the Legislature IS
one in eiyLttea, in st. Johnsbury it is but one
in MoRsanR In Baltimore, Vt, the aver
age chance TO be developed at the public ex
pense at Montpelier, is one in nincteen;-in
Burlington it is one in t'ceHtyt1ur hundred
rary, in the greatest attainable diffusion Of
intelligent interest in public affairs, and in
equal Chances tn all to exercise human am
billions and attain development. in public
life; but it is a very curious way to secure
such diffusion and such equality 10 give TO
onc-third of the population, on an average,
three times as many chances as are given 10
the other two-thirdS
The argument is all on enc side of the
question. There is really nothing 10 be said
for the existing system except that it exists,
and has the power 10 pcrpetua.e It's exist
ence The State has thus far survived, and
doubtless can continue to survive, this unfair
and undemocratic allotment of representa-
ton But these are no reasons for contnu-
ing such II system, when fairer and better
one, not at all an experiment, but adopted
and adhered to by many intelligent and
thriving States is available.