The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1896-12-23
The Basis of Representation.

Editor Of Waterman AT different
times have seen articles on the above sub
ject in the WATCHMAN, and nearly all of
them took the ground that there ought to
be change from our present system. The
chief reason given is that it is unjust that a
town of only few hundred inhabitants
should have equal voice in the legislature
with a city or town of ten thousand or
more. This seems to be strong argument,
but before we decide question 1t is well to
look on both sides of it, and L hope that
you will be willing to publish short ar
ticle containing few reasons, as they &C.
cur to me, against the proposed change.
We are told that in no other state is there
such inequality Of representation, but, is
not that remedied to great extent in the
senate which is chosen according to popula-
ton? Then, again, do we not find the
States senate? The com bined population OF
eighteen states, viz, Colorado, Connecticut,
Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Maine, Montana,
Nevada, New Hampshire, North Dakota,
Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota,
Utah, Vermont, Washington, West Vir-
ginia and Wyoming was, in 1890, less than
the state of New York, and yet they have
in the United States Senate thirty-six men,
bers, while New York has only two. New
York has a population eighteen times as
large as Vermont and one hund red thirty
one times as large as Nevada. 1t is very
in the Senate very large influence in pro-
portion to her population, but l do not rec
ollect that any one of those who advocate
so strongly change in our House of repre-
sentatives has spoken OF 1t as unjust.
suppose that the main reason why each
state is given two senators is that under the
United States government the state is re-
garded as the unit. Our nation is repub'
lie of republics, and it seems just that in one
branch each state, as such, should have an
equal voice. Applying the same principle,
let us ask, What is the unit under our state
government? 1t is not the county. Except
as regards the courts, the different towns in
a county have little more to do with each
other than towns in adjoining counties.
In some states the sphere Of the county is
greatly enlarged, and it performs many of
the duties that are left to the towns in Yer
mont, such as the care OF the highways,
record OF deeds, and many others, and thus
the county may be more properly regarded
as the unit. If we had districts composed
Of several towns for each representative,
each district would be unit for that pur-
pose but no other.
But have no need to prove that under
our state government the town is the real
unit. Each town is little republic and
manages its own affairs, / might say makes
it's own laws, within certain limits. And
we should here notice that in some direc-
tions the powers and duties of towns have
II q.
Once the unit in educational matters was,
in most respects, the school district. Now
It is the town solely. Also we once had
highway districts. Now the town is the
smallest division. II then the town is the
unit it seems proper that it should have
some one to represent or act for it In the
legislature. We feel that they are our rep
resentatives and hold them accountable for
their acts to greater extent than they
would obtain under any other system.
1t is said that no other state has this sys-
tenn. Very WELL Most of them have other
things also that we do not, and do not care
to have. No legislature has less frequently
had 1t laid to its charge that it was swayed
by corruption and bribery than our own,
and fully believe that our system of direct
responsibility has had an influence In this
direction. Something has already been
done towards removing the inequality COM
planned OF without changing our system.
Several large towns like Montpelier, Barre,
Burlington and Rutland have been divided
and thus given two or three representatives,
instead of one, while on the other hand sew
eral small towns have been annexed to 9TH
ers. Rather than adopt a radical change
in our basis OF representation, might IL not
be wise to consider the practicability of
making still further changes in the size of
towns?