The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1897-01-06
Old-FashiOned.

The prest mt system has been defended in
these columns and this journal still clings
to the old-fashioned idea that it is, taken as
q whole, the best representation for Yer
mont.-Northfeld News.
This argument, if it be an argument,
would be just as available in support
Of return to the use of tallow can
dies as illuminators, stage coaches as
means Of locomotion, or any other an.
tiquated custom, as it is in defense of
the present system of legislative repre-.
sentation in Vermont. OF course, the
Neps does not rest it's defence of the
existing system solely upon its old
fashionedness, but whatever other ar
guments are urged in its favor are suf-
ficiently answered by the undisputed,
indisputable fact that system of
representation which gives one voter in
one division of State territory precisely
the same voice in the ultimate deter
mination of state policies as two hun
dred voters in another territorial di-
vision, is antagonistic to the basic theory
of democratic government.
In another column of this issue will
be found an editorial copied from the
current issue of the Vermont Watch
man, which effectively and effectually
disposes of the attempted argument in
favor of town line representation be-
cause of its claimed similarity to the
composition of the United States SEN
ate. As is clearly shown by the
Waterman, there is no similarity be-
tween the two systems. BY constitu-
tional provision, all powers not dele
gated to the United States by the Con-
stitution, nor prohibited by it to the
States, are expressly reserved to the
States respectively, or to the people.
By constitutional enactment, the gu
preme legislature power of Vermont is
vested in Senate and House of Repre-.
sentatives, which is called the General
Assembly of the State of Vermont.
The Messenger does not believe the
present system Of representation oper-
ates to the advantage of the people in
the enactment of better, or as good,
laws as would be enacted under Just
believe the former provides better or
more honest legislators, it does not
believe the representative of COM
munity of score or two score citizens
is more competent, is as competent, to
determine the needs of q community of
one thousand or two thousand citizens
as representative likely to be selected
by the latter community. As a rule,
the average representative from the
smaller towns is not more honest, and
is not as we'll qualified for the intelli-
gent discharge of his duties as legis-
lator, as the average representative
from the cities and larger towns.
Nor does this paper believe the pres
ent system has not been detrimental to
the best welfare of the State. But, if
this were absolutely true, it would be
no argument in defence of its continu-
ance. A system which is inherently
wrong and negotiable is not defensible
upon the ground even that it has
not wrought any very serious injury.
No one claims, probably no one be-
lieves, if the freemen of Vermont were
called upon to frame system of self
government, they would adopt town
line representation. Few, il any, ques-
ton, if the freemen of Vermont could
vote directly upon the matter, they
would discard the present system by an
Overwhe lining majority.
The Messenger has faith to believe
that the time will come when the peo-
pie of Vermont will be permitted to
enact the laws OF Vermont, when the
theory upon which republican form of
government is founded will be carried
into practice.-St. AlbaLs Messenger.