Waterbury Democrat., 1902-04-10
M'LEAN SCORES THEM.
The One To-A-Town Men Are Making
 a Mistake He Says.

q Mistake He Says.
 At a banquet in Meriden last evening Governor Mclean talked on the con- stitutional convention. Among other things the governor said:
 I cannot tell you how sincerely hope that the small towns will see the wisdom of submitting a constitution that the people will accept, for to fail ill this is to stand condemned by the sovereignty of the state, and in the contest that must follow I can see but one result. There are times in the lives of all of us, and many times in the lives of most of us when we must choose between desire and duty. 1 hardly think it can be contended that it is not the duty of the convention now in session to execute to d reason able extent the known will of the people. It is my sincere hope that the delegates will remember that they are not called together to prepare q con stitution for Marlborough of New Ha- ven, but for the whole state of Cpn- necticut, and not the acres of Connect icut, but the people of Connecticut
 To maintain that population should not be considered in the apportionment of representation in both branches of the law-making body is to deny every principle and precept upon which the state was founded. I quite agree with those who urge that constitutions should be changed with great caution, and always with due regard to the rights of minorities. It is also true that absolute equality ill representation is impossible. but it is equally true that glaring and easily remedied inequal- I.I Connecticut to-day can no longer be denied or concealed The framers of the constitution in ISIS did not intend or expect that in the year 1902, POO votes on one side of stake and stones would equal 10000 votes on the other Side of that stake and stones
 If the one-to-a-town plan is insisted upon l shall expect to see in the future scores of men in favor of the district system where there is one to-day. And IL seems inevitable that 90 per cent of the people with just cause will sooner or later have their way with the re- ma1nlng 10 per cent. I believe that representative in the general assembly, every town should have at least one and advise and urge the small towns to make just and fair concessions to the large communities, because it is right, because it is certain to be done in the near future, and because the sooner it is done the safer town repre- sentation will be-
 If the convention of towns now in session insists upon tightening the bonds 1t was expressly created to re- move, town representation in the fu- lure Will, 1 fear, be driven to stand or Tall upon it's merits as a governmental system. Many people now it's friends will feel that they are no longer under moral or sentimental obligation to de- fend it. I am afraid that we who would see it perpetuated will be told that it is an ancient privilege which the people have permitted the towns to enjoy and nothing more We shall be told that there is no political or histori- cal authority for the assumption that the towns of Connecticut are vested with the inalienable and sacred right to govern the people of Connecticut. We shall be told that long before the Declaration of Independence the acres of S1msbury and Meriden were dedi- cated to the support and upbuilding of Connecticut manhood.
 We have heard much said in the con- ventiOn against the district system. and IT has been again and again asserted  that any slight reasonable increase in the representation given to the large communities will result in the district system in Connecticut. The men who are urging the convention to concede fair representation to the large towns are many of them doing so for the ex press purpose of avoiding the district system. You will remember that q short time before the people voted to call constitutional convention we were told that nearly all the political calamities known to history would be- fall us if the convention were called It must now be clear to the small towns that these warnings were with out foundation. There is no argument so effective temporarily as scare and there is no argument so dangerous in the long run to those who believe 1t as scare that has no foundation in fact