The morning times., 1897-01-18
YANKEE MUNICIPAL SCHEME.
Practical Working of Town Repre-
sentation in Vermont.
RutidDd Herald

The whole government business from
To- TO bottom is, after all, only one kind
o. puddlnS-and the proof is altogether
in the eating. The thing wanted is prac-
tical results instead of theoretical process.
Perhaps the case is hardly near enough to
Obvious possibility TO be supposable, but
IT it actually were plain that better results
would come from having every member Of
the house from q single town than could
be o. III any other way, surely We should
all wan5 the one-town plan adopted at
o3ce. house of the legislature is ma
chine for Going certain work just as clearly
as a sd wmilI is, and it exists for nothing
else. 1t is not a dress parade TO fill
particular theory.
But, we are told, the Vermont house is
made up OF a lot of inexperienced men who
take a lot of time TO do little, and if their
number was reduced, with a change in
metloi OF representation, they would work
more intelIigendy and quicker. There is
foOd deal to that, but there are other
things than celerity and facility i'll work
ing to be thought of.
Other New England States nave the very
thing recommended for us, but is there
one Of them that can compare results IF a
session of the legislature with us? We
have just had a seSs.on and there is more
or less gTumbling over results, but what
important measure was killed that Il diff
ferent house would have been likelyto save
and what hunders Of any kind Were made
that would have been avoided with a house
elected on the sacred district system?
It is easy for anybody who watches the
legislature at \ ontpelcr to lose patience
with it, but anybody who mas that OK
pericnce can find Il certain corrective 10y
visiting any other legislature. And es-
pecjally is this true with respect TO the
IoIse. The members who go To Mont
peier from the little towns are in most
cases new 10 legislative work and perhaps
SLOW in learning the way, but they do not
want Intelligence, and in character and in
tegrity are as ody Unequaled 10y any
S.her legislative body Oh earth. The house
OF representatives Of the State Of Vermont
unfailinsly has a ma. ority Of men whC are
absolutely incorruptible and, beyond that,
are high minded and determined o do what
they think is absolutely right. 1t is al
ways perfectly Well understood at Mont
pCiier that the mere suspicion OF any
cTo1kcdncss or trickery about a bill is
swift and certain death 10 it in the Eouse.
All this comes because of the men from
the small towns. The man sent to Mont
peller from small town is personally
known to practically every one who votes
for him. and uprightness is the first
qualification demanded in him. This in
valuable thing-this assurance Of in
tegTity because of personal acquaintance
of the voters-is lost the moment sys
TEN is adopted which puts a delegate con-
vention between the voter and the cleo
ton. Our senate shows how this is.
That body has as a rule men much more
experienced and facile in work, and much
more widely known than does the house.
but 1T never does have such generally
high moral character rs the lower body
There is never an assurance that sus-
picion Of crookedness viii xiii bin in the
senate.
The Vermont legislature is imperfect
enough in construction and operation, no
doubt. But its operation is such that no
other legislature can compare with it,
The house in particular because the per-
sonal character among its members is a
safeguard against dishonesty which stands
like a rock through generations; AID there
Is little occasion to worry about theoreti-
cal faults Of construction SO long as they
no no harm.