Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-06-10
AN ISSUE READY MADE.

necticut to agitate the subject of mi nority elections that have been the scan- dal and disgrace of our state and that will continue to prevail so long as the republicans have the power, under the ancient constitution of 1918, to defeat the will of the people. A minority party intrenched behind this ancient consti
 tuition, says the News. refuses to give up the vantage which it holds not by the law of public right, nor by the rule of justice, nor by any sound principle ill our American system of government, but, rather, by the violation of it." And with despair that is born of its diff dence in the republican sense of justice our esteemed contemporary laments that
 flor some years, at least, we must con- tinue to see Connecticut dominated by the town idea of representation, min- ority governors III office, our cities placed on a political par with towns of one or two hundred voters, and our leg islatures made up on a basis that means practical disfranchisement to nearly three-sevenths of the voters of the state.' We confess we can see little hope for change so long as the parties are so nearly balanced numerically that it is almost impossible for the democrats to secure clear majority over all for their candidates on the state ticket. The present balance of the parties seems likely enough to continue for some years to come, the ratio of increase in both parties being very nearly the same. Nevertheless, we think with the es- teemed News that the Democrats should | make an issue of the monumental in- justice that practically disfranchises them year after year and puts in power men whom the people of the state refuse to accept at the polls. The injustice, ac- cording to our level-headed contempo- rary, can only be overcome "by organiz- ing public sentiment which shall be irresistible and attain by legislative fears l what can never be obtained by legisla tive sense of right. The democratic par ty must force the issue in every direc- ton. It should be enunciated clearly in its state platform or, better yet, consti- tute it's whole platform. It ought to re- sound from every stump, be the inces- sant theme of the democratic party newspaper, and before it, in state con- | tests, every minor issue should give way. By such bold, resolute and aggressive policy, the reform can be pushed through, and by no other. II T.Al xl> in their state canvasses have treated the subject timidly, hardly touched upon it as an issue and contented themselves with resonant shrieks after the other party has got the state by the legislative vote. Really isn't it about time for them to make the fight before election or hold their peace after a losing battle in which | they have not had the courage to raise the principle? Of one thing certainly the democrats of the state may be as- sured. They will never compel this re- form in a republican legislature until that legislature sees that they are aglta- l ting it in earnest, have ceased to handle 1 it timidly and mean business
 AAO A>C"o 10 AASASs AAO AooSAC AAuoc OO made. All other state issues are of minor importance when compared to the system of minority elections so utterly inconsistent with and subversive of American institutions. The very l genius of our government, the very
 essence of American citizenship is rule | by the greater number. So long as state officials are thrust upon the peopls by a l legislature that represents a minority of | the people, so long is the end and object of government by the people for the peo- pie frustrated. So long as the will of the greater number is nullified and an | unjust and selfish minority has the power of control, just so long are we standing in opposition to the ideas and sen- timents that animated and sustained our ancestors in their long and bloody strug- gle for liberty and equality. If the l right to govern ourselves, which means the right of the greater number of citizens to make and execute the laws as against
 the minority, was worth fighting for,
 surely the preservation of that right is
 worth the peaceful warfare of constitu-
 tional agitation. Who would be free
 himself must strike the blow. If the
 democrats would enjoy their rights in
 Connecticut they must be energetic,
 persistent and courageous in asserting
 them. Let every platform of the party
 protest, as did that of 1888, against the
 disgraceful outrage of government by
 the minority. Letths slogan of the par
 ty in it's state campaigns be that min-
 ority rule must go and all men must en-
 icy the franchise on an equal and i'm
 partial basis. The republicans will not
 surrender the unfair advantage they
 enjoy under the town system and min-
 ority plan until they are forced to do
 so. It is the duty of the democrats to
 force this surrender.
 | Qnvo s. H.