The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1895-04-24
Constitutional Amendments,

The Burlington Ne,os is testing the
resisting power of its young Uranium
by bucking against the states legisla-
tive system. 1t is misdirecting its eff
forts in butting against the senate, but
that moss-grown rock of offense, the
"rotten- borough" basis of representa-
ton in the house, is very proper tar
get even for head of adamantine
hardness and titanic force. The rock
can give such q head odds and COM
placently await the issue. Men have
grown old and many have died in labor
ing to secure the state house of repre-
sentatives republican in the manner of
its constitution. The accomplishment
of this reform seems likely to come,
judging from past experience, only
when the Green Mountain ridge lowers
its crest and Mount Mansfield and Cam
els Hump descend to the level of the
waters of Champlain.
Vermont is unrepublican not only in
the basis of representation in the lower
house of the legislature but also in her
lack of faith in the steadfastness of the
people. In the states generally, and un-
der the constitution of the United States,
proposal to amend the fundamental
law may be made at any regular session
of the legislative branch of the govern
ment, but adequate checks are placed
upon the final adoption of any proposed
amendment. A proposition to amend
the constitution may thus be as con-
stantly and Immediately before the
people as a subject of public discussion
as the enactment of any important law,
and the wisdom or desirability of such
amendment may receive timely and eff
fective discussion. But Vermont pro-
ceeds upon the theory that the people
are fickle-minded and cannot be trusted
with the work of their own hands. So
the constitution is locked up and the
combination set for a period of ten
years. Proposals of amendment can
be made only at these long intervals.
What present interest can be awakened
aud sustained in measure that cannot
receive even initiatory action till the
year 1900?
Realizing the unreasonableness and
inconsistency of this ten years. prohibit
ton and the bar it placed to the consid-
GRAFTON of important questions of consti-
tutional change, an effort was made in
1890, the last recurrence of the consti-
tution-amending period, to get before
the people a proposition to do away
with this absurd chronometer lock and
conform the constitution, in the matter
of proposals of amendment, to the con-
situations of the states in general But
a proposition embodying this reason
able change could not get even favor
able pro-forma report from the senate
committee on constitutional amend
ments, nor did proposition to choose
representatives by districts and reduce
the membership of the house fare any
better. That little autocratic junto of
senators sat down with all the weight of
their avoirdupois upon both propositions
and a majority of the senate blindly
and stupidity sustained the committee.
In vain was it pleaded that the adop-
ton of proposition of amendment was
a mere formal step, like the introduce
ton and first reading of bill, to carry
the proposal along to the house for its
concurrence, and thence to the people
for discussion; that another legislature,
elected after two years of direct public
consideration of the proposed change,
must pass upon it, and that, if it then
ran the legislative gauntlet successfully
the people still had final voice in the
matter, to accept or reject. "No," re.
sponded the senate, "the existing order
| of constitutional things is too sacred.