The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1901-07-10
ARTHUR ROPES. General Editor.
representation Again.

any, ~ w nat reason Is lUBT6 lot buDlOr-
ing that the small towns which now
hold the balance of power in the State
will ever vote away their inhuence?"
The contemporary seems to entertain
the belief that this cannot be done
''unless the cities and larger towns can
devise some ingenious way of duping
the farmers into voting their influence
away" In this broad view of the mat
ter the Times declares that otis only
waste of energy to talk about revising
our representation, as the farmers can
not be duped very easily"
This view of fundamental question
in republican government is interest
ing neither for its wisdom nor it's in
telligence, and it ia not entitled to Sc
rious consideration as a statement of
fact. 1t is regrettable for The evidence
of folly it presents and for lack of un-
derstsDding of an important matter vi
tally affecting the highest welfare of
the State.
There is abundant reason to believe
that the Times is right in saying that it
lie waste of energy to talk about re-
vising the States basis of represents
ton in the Legislature and founding it
on population, the corner stone of rep
resentation in truly republican form
of government. Vermont and Connec-
ticut are the only States Of the union
which adhere to the town system of
representation, which make unrepubli-
can dirt the basis of representation, and
apparently there they will remain for
ever. Reform is not matter of "de-
vising some ingenious way of duping
the farmers" but turns on the CONVEX
sion of some lawyers who get into the
Senate and who with a minority of
eleven members of that body for gen
Grafton have been able to block even
the consideration of constitutional re-
form in any direction. The chances
are that their successors in "conserva-
tism"-which in this matter is another
term for grass stupidity-will be able to
prolong obstruction indefinitely.
At the legislative session OF 1880
proposal of amendment, made in the
Senate by Hugh Henry, provided for
House of Representatives of $50 men,
bers, chosen by county election dis
tricts. This proposal received the two
thirds vote the Constitution requires
and it went to the House which refus-
ed to concur. In 1890, realizing that
ga campaign of education" was needed
in this matter, and that effective pub
lie discussion of subject which could
come up for action only once in ten
years was by this circumstance practi-
cally prohibited, the main effort of the
reformers was directed to securing the
preliminary acceptance of a proposition
providing that proposals of amendment
to the Constitution might be made at
any regular biennial session of the Leg
islature, the checks on final adoption
remaining unchanged. This is the law
of the States of the Union generally,
aud of the United States. What was
the fate of this amendment, prososed
by DIR. Smith, Senator from Windsor
county? The proposer stood alone in
his glory in voting for the amendment,
and % Senators were recorded in oppo-
sition.
Opposition to the district plan of
representation is by no means confined
to the farmers. Support of the exist
ing system reckons among it's numbers
many with whom the town organiza-
ton transcends everything else in gov
eminent. 1t is worshipped as a sort of
political idol. The principle of repre-
sentation according to population be-
comes an abstraction. when it conflicts
with the town organization. No mat
ter with what inconsistencies it is en-
vironed, no matter how grossly it out
RACES the fundamental principle of
government by the people, it is the
town organization, it is sacred, it is gu
preme, and representation under it
"must, and shall, be preserved"
So good man as the late e. p. Wal
ton, six years a Representative in Con
gress, was wont to hold that the sec
ton of the Constitution constituting
the House of Representatives coulC
neuer be changed, because of the Ian
guage of that instrument which allotted
to leach inhabited town s~s on,
Representative forever" Other men o
equal intelligence and similar standing
in other directions go to like absur'
lengths in their idolatry of the town or
ganization and its exaltation above thu
cardinal principle of republican gov
eminent.
The consequence is seen in the Sen
ate when proposals of amendment