The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1902-05-09
have fixed penalty of $25 for any
violation Of the compact. A number
Of these dealers are shippers.

While the l to 60 proposition is
proba bly, defeat ed as a basis Of settle
ment of the question of representa-
tion in the constitutional convention,
the city men have not been able to
successfully meet the arguments of it's
chief advocates. Hon John G. Brins-
made, of the Gunnery school, Wash
ington, who has been a sturdy and
vigorous defender Of the rights of the
towns, had the following interesting
article in recent issue of the Water
bury American:
fail to find in your editorials, in
your convention correspondence, or in
your quotation from other papers any
discussion of the question of represen-
tation as it must be considered and de-
cided by the delegates who have been
chosen for the work inland. There is
an abundance of ridicule and sarcasm,
but little. If any argument. What is the
situation? The district plan SO con-
sistently and ably argued by Mr. Vance
never had chance of adoption; neith-
er had the Osborne plan, which would
give town or city one additional rep
resentative for every 1O, 900 people. l
think that 81 is the largest vote re-
corded, by the opposition to the 1-6O
plan-in favor Of anything and among
these were many who prefer the 1-60
plan and who believe in it as the pro-
per system for Connecticut, but who
voted for some mixed scheme simply
and solely because they were. afraid
that the LEO would not be ratified by
the people. Judge Perry, for instance
makes no secret of his position that
while he heartily indorses the one-from-
a-tOwn and Senate of As as the ideal
thing for Connecticut he withholds
his vote from it because of his belief
that the people would not accept it.
II he and several other influential
members had stood out for their con-
victiOns, this plan would have easily
obtained thirds vote in it's favor
and there could hardly have been a
doubt of it's ratification by the people.
Although think it fair to say that
the Bennett plan has never had
chance of adoption by the convention,
let us compare it with the l-6O. They
are alike in this, viz: That each town
would have one representative in the
House. Under the Bennett plan
Marlborough, with less. than 400 people,
would have the same representation as
any town of less than 5000 people.
Towns between 5000 and $4,000 would
have two representatives.; between
Is, 600 and 25, 200, three; between 25,OOC
and $4,000, four; between $4,000 and
1OO,O 900, five; over 100000, six. New
Haven, with over 200 times the popu
lation of Marlborough would have only
six times the representation. The
proportional argument, which you are
SO fond of using, holds. though Of
course in less degree, against tn,
Bennett scheme. Under such circum
stances, it seems hardly fair to de
nounce in such extravaganza term
those who conscientiously favor one
frOm-a- town, without at least attempt
ing to- show how the Bennett plal
would work better in actual practice
claim that among the PERFORMERS
and those who want the district sys
/ tenn in Connecticut, the Bennett pla
would be considered mere sop, eS
cept as it would be stepping stone il
the right direction. The Couran
urges the Bennett plan as mean
: Of preserving township representatiQ
+ for the next century, while Col, Or
;, born, in recent New York Herald al
ticle, expresses the idea that in ger
Grafton or so representation in TIL
j. House could be placed on popuaatio
basis solely. Massachusetts maae
l. strong effort in 1853 to keep the mike
IS not the equality system and lost tow
# ship representation. Vermont an
Rhode Island each have townsh
Ne equality in one branch, and townsh
IN representation is preserved in each
those states.
III The Bennett scheme and senate
lg SO would give New Haven 10 legisl
~ tors; the LEO plan would give that ci
~ eight. The question for discussion
re Under which scheme would the int
N ests of the towns, the cities, the who
state be better cared for?
'0 Ex-Congressman Sperry has lin co
nd vention) depressed his belief that t