Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1897-02-01

that was SO Worded as to mean that
the small town representatives. made
thh solid under stratum integrity of
the body and this is not saying that no
one else is honest. The Messenger
says:
The present system is neither
made up of nor based upon Vermont
men. 1t is made up of and based up
on Vermont dirt. 1t is a representa-
! ton of Vermont town lines, not of
| Vermont citizens. If the MONITOR is
convinced a given law is wrong in
| principal and Ubiquitous IN practice,
| would it hesitate to condemn it be-
| cause it is the creation of Vermont
| legislature?"
| If this allusion to Vermont 'sdirto
was intended as stigma on the men
of the smaller towns we resent. If it
means merely sstown ines'' we con-
tend that the present system is adap-
ted to Vermont because it allows the
| small and the remote town and local
tiles to have a voice in the legisla-
ture, and it gives them opportunities
to become acquainted with the affairs
of the state. The Messenger finally
winds up it's remaks on our position
by the following handsomely worded
sentences:
stYou cannot make a representa-
tive government based upon an un-
representative system of government.
The rule of the few can never take
the place of the rule of the majority
supplant citizenship in a republic,
/
| functions of two, ten, twenty or two
| hundred other citizens without en-
dangering the foundations of repre-
sentative government"
| The statement that we cannot have
representative government based
on an unrepresentative system is not
| necessarily true. We do not know
how that might be, but we claim that
we both have a representative sys-
tenn and representative government
in Vermont today. We have the rep
resentative system because every To-
cality is represented, and every oc-
cupation, business, profession, inter
est, church or organization has, or
may have, it's representatives in the
house of the legislature. We certain
ly have government, our govern
ment, under which each is enjoying
measure of success, the maximum of
liberty, ample protection, almost un-
limited opportunities in the pursuit
of happiness. What more can be
ask ed? What more could house of
representatives of smaller number,
chosen on a different ratio provide
for US? Area supplants no citizen
ship in Vermont. That there is, has
been, and always will be ursurpation
by one or more of the rights of even a
larger number cannot be denied, nor
can it be helped. There is no system
under the skies which will give one
man just the same opportunities,
powers or functions which another
man enjoys. Be calm, Bro. Messen-
ger, the foundations" of our govern
ment are not Uottering to any great
extent at present. The discovery of |
our danger is of recent date and very |
few courageous men are in state of |
alarm at present.
While this article, in the nature of |
the case, is long, we will extend it I
still further while we present a few
reasons not heretofore given, why
the agitation and the discussion is
needless and the proposed change is
impolitic:
It is needless to attempt a change
in things when the change promises
nothing better.
1t is useless to waste ink, space,
Words. precious mental energy and
soul anxiety over supposed evil
which we are powerless to overcome.
The difficulties against making
change are constitutional, so far as
the law is concerned. The process is
long, the way is devious. If it comes
to that that change is desired by
anybody, one legislature must enact,
by two thirds vote in the senate and
majority vote in the house; two years
thereafter the second legislature must
confirm, and two years later the peo
pie of the state must signify their de-
sire for an amendment of the consti-
tuition by vote, before anNchange can
% intuo. Inc cOHolClOH> OF bnlnSS
is such that it is probably impossi-
BILE to effect change, ifait seemed
desirable on the part of many.
What would change in the mat
ter promise, what reasonable guaran
ty of anything better?
It would necessitate division of
the state into representative districts,
in number such as the caprice or the
judgment of somebody should fix.