The Newtown bee., 1901-12-20
CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM.


The communications in respect to
constitutional reform, which have re-
Gently appeared in various papers, adj
vOcating the idea of representation in
the House Of Representative in pro-
portion to population, seem to be based
on the assumption that there can be
no real republican form of government
''of the people, by the people and for
the people," except as this idea pre-
walls in repect to both branches of the
legislature. This is certainly a bold
assumption, in view of the fact that
in our national legislative body, the
Senate, has always been composed of
representatives of the States, on an
equality, without regard to population.
viii any one assert that on this ac-
count our national government is not
truly republican: And SO in our own
state the plan from the beginning has
been to represent towns, as such, in
one branch Of jhe legislature, and pop
ulatiOn in the other branch. The main
difficulty and the injustice have come
about in consequence OF departure
from this principal. Our senators d
not represent equal districts in respect
represented in the House on a basis of
equality. The remedy for this condi-
ton, SO far as the Senate is concerned,
is comparatively plain and simple. A
rediStrcting Of the state, and an in
crease in the number Of districts, will
give MS fair and equitable representa-
ton of he population in the Senate.
The remedy to be applied to the rep
rcScntatiOn in the House is not so cas-
lily determined. Certainly any plan
for mixing the idea Of town rcpresen-
t,,t; 10 |, Ioo
OF representation in proportion to pop
ulatiUn, will prove at best only tenn
pOrary makcshift, and will result in
injustice and dissatisfaction If for
instance the plan which has been pro-
! posed Of allowing one representative
to each town having a population OF
| 10000 or under, and two representa-
tives to each town having a population
Of over 10000 and not more than 10000
! should be adopted, then New Fairfield
with Il population Of IN would have
Just the same representation as Wall
ingford with a population of 5000, and
Dnnbury with population OF 9,474
would have no more representatives
than Windham with a population of
! lO,l3I. 1t seems that there would be
injusti ice under such a plan, just as
truly as there is i'm our present cOndi-
! tiOnS. The proper remedy must be
sought elsewhere. Let us have one
plan or the other and not attempt an
/ unSat i>tactory mixture. Either the
town plan pure and simple, allowing
to each town one or two representa-
lives. and placing all the towns on an
equality, should be adopted, or town
boundaries and organizations should be
ignored, and districts, equal in popu-
ton should be created, allowing one
or two representatives t. each district
Whether the people are willing tC
abandon the town idea. and to make
the House of Representatives, in real
ity, simply a duplicate OF the Senate
in regard to const itucncy, remains tt
be seen. There is no better time t(
ascertain than now. But let us not be
deceived into believing that town rep
rrScntatiOn pure and simple. in one
branch Of the general Assembly, is in
any sense or measure contrary to the
principles Of a republican government
The rcformerS who plead SO Stcnllously
for representation Of the people in pro
portion populations should not ignore
the fact that all that they plead fol