Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1896-01-16

town ana county system, representative
to the lower branch being elected by towns
and to the Senate by counties. The change
to the district system was made about the
middle of the present century, the object
being to secure an ideal system as regards
representation according to population
In 1851 there was combination of the free
soil and democratic parties against the
wings of the State, to secure representa-
ton according to the number of voters in
stead of population. The coalition secured
in carrying It's project through a const-
tutional convention, but the people de-
feated the schemes The object of the
coalition was to lessen in the Legislature
the power OF Boston which was then
strongly wing, and possessed of a much
larger non-voting population than there
was outside of the city
Later an attempt was made to secure
representation by towns and cities under
the system of representation prevailing,
by giving each town at least one repre-
sentative once in every ten years. and be-
yond this grading the towns according to
population and giving the smaller towns
representation In other years as their
arrangement there were towns which had
no representation at all some years and
the scheme did not work satisfactorily.
At one time the city Of Boston for example
elected it's representatives based upon
population on one general ticket, so that IL
the city as whole was republican for ex-
ample, it's representatives in the Legisla-
ture were all of that party.
One Of the principal objects of the dis
trlct system in It's present form according
| to the Herald was to allow the democrats
| of Boston to have representation In both
branches of the Legislature. which was
impossible when the representatives were
elected on one ticket instead of different
tickets representing different districts in
the city. The present system is pro-
nounced an ideal system as regards fair
ness of representation.
The Herald points out certain respects,
however. in which the district system in
Massachusetts, does not work as we'll as IT
might, speaking as follows:
In destroying town representation, 1t
made the selection of candidates a matter
of arrangement between towns. Wher
| three or four towns were united in a dis
|
| designate the member TO be chosen. The
result was that in a large portion of the
State two terms in succession were i'm
possible for an incumbent. No one ques
| tions that the service of a man Is more
valuable the second year than the first
and 1t may be that that Of the third anc
the fourth Is stll better. But this was gen
orally impossible where two or more town!
were together in a district. Even in thu
cities where this trouble did not exist. 1t II
doubtful If the later system has improved
the quality of the Legislature 1t Is matte
of history that Boston had abier men a
the State House under the general tickle
system than she has now under the dis
trict system. and the same Is probabl.
true OF other cities of the State. Unde
the town system better Legislatures wer
elected from the towns The Legislature
was a more efficient body. Lcng session
were not complained Of When the Hous
reached the apparently unwieldly body
400 even, it dispatched It's business
month or two earlier than 1t does now will
2iU.
The remedy suggested for the evil com
planned of by the Herald Is the retentio
of annual sessions of the Legislature, bu
the holding of biennial elections, whic
would ensure every district the same rep
resentatives for two years. and col
: stitutional amendment is proposed to thi
effect.
1t can be seen from this that Massachu
sets is really suffering from singl
term rule. as is Vermont. although this re
suit is brought about in the BaysState b
tho claims OF towns rather than any rul
regarding the idvidual. What is needle
in both States to assure the best legsla
ton and secure continuity of action
Q the retention of efficient members fc
t more than one session of the Legislature
We have biennial elections, and also bier
9 NAL sessions, so that the remedy propose
= in Massachusetts would not help US. tn
only thing for Vermont towns to do, there
y FORE is to re-elect efficient members, an
Q place premium upon experience rathe
than upon inexperience.