The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1908-01-10

and equality OF representation
/ believe also that the towns them
| selves have enough OF the spirit Of justice
10 yield TO fair proposition. They have
/, suffered as much as any communities In
| the state under the present system. The
| population and wealth of many OF the
| towns for years have been continually on
the decrease, until today some OF them
are much less populous and wealthy than
they were 100 years ago IL cannot
therefore be urged that this system has
been productive OF material welfare to
| the towns themselves. IL has. further
\ more been the cause OF more political de-
gradation than any other one element In
| the state. with such dlsproportionate
power centred in the hands OF a few
| voters the inclination TO buy votes and
| to resort TO other sinister methods OF con-
troll has been irresistible. change I'm the
| system, therefore, which would approx
mate genuine representative government,
! would necessarily reduce the practice OF
wholesale bribery which has for so many
| years disgraced certain sections OF our
state.
The whole commonwealth and its peo-
| pie. a very great majority Of whom thor
oughly abhor and disapprove this prac-
ice.ought not to be held up any longer in
contempt and disgrace before other states
through the practices OF small minority
of its people l, therefore, recommend
most heartily the adoption of a constitu-
uonal amendment which will give To all
the cities and towns In the state repre-
sentation i'm both house and senate based
approximately on the population OF
such towns and cities.
EXECUTIVE VETO.
Both parties also stand pledged by their
recent platforms to give to the executive
OF the state a substantial veto power, 1t
Is reasonable TO expect therefore, that
such a reform Will be inaugurated at this
session The chief question which may
arise is likely to be as TO what sort OF "A
veto will be given. do not believe that
the people OF the state will be satisfied
with anything less than what has been
promised, namely a substantial veto. and
such a veto is certainly not one which
can be overridden by mere majority
vote, such as the veto provided for In the
revised constitution OF 1898. which was
rejected by the people.
Perhaps the best, well as the most
general form of this power, Is that In
the United States constitution, which |
provides the veto OF the president shall |
apply to all orders. resolutions, bills, etc,
passed by congress, and that 1t can be
overridden only by two-thirds vote OF
each house Of congress This has been
the model for great many OF the states
OF tho Union. and has proved 10 be n
wise and salutary provision. There Is
no reason, therefore, why IL should not
work well in Rhode Island.
l desire particularly To call your at
tentlon TO the necessity OF having the
veto apply to every act, bill, resolution,
etc passed upon by the legislature lex
cept possibly on the question OF adjourn
ment, rather than such measure as
would apply to "bills" alone. Under the
latter form numerous measures might he
introduced as resolutions" etc. ana
thus escape the effect OF the veto. ],
therefore, recommend most heartily the
subraission TO the people of an amend
ment to the constitution giving the gov
ernor the power of veto over all meas
ures acted upon by the general assembly,
except that of adjournment and also
providing that such veto can be overrid-
den only by two-thirds vote of all the
members elected to each house of the
Legislature
PROPERTY QUALIFICATION.
Another constitutional reform which l
most heartily recommend. and which has
been suggested on previous occasions, lis
the abolition OF the property quaiihca-
tion. No state I'm America has such quail
ification, except Rhode Island. If every
other state In the Union can exist and
thrive without such unjust discrimina-
tion. there would seem TO be no reason
why Rhode Island could not do likewise.
Again n the registry voter I'm Rhode Is
land has sufficient intelligence TO vote
for presidential electors. governor ana
general officers OF the state, members OF
the state legislature, and all other Off
cials except members Of a city council,
l can not see why he Is not capable OF
voting for the latter. Is there anything
about the average alderman or council
man which renders him more sacred or
important than president. governor.
an assemblyman, mayor school com
10 ~ nh hotf Of
the citizens OF the cities of the state who
may vote for the latter are denied tho
right TO vote for the former
The property qualification Is unscund
in principle and unsuccessful In practice /
IL gives rise to an un-American discrim-
ination between classes OF citizens, ard
places a premium upon wealth rather I
than upon manhood and intelligence IT. I
however there were originally any JUS /
tification for such n qualification on the |
ground that taxes would be more provi- 1
IDENTITY expended II only those who paid !
them directly had voice In such expen-
dture such arguments have been COM !
pletcly shattered by the actual workings I
Of this law.
PAwTUCKETS EXAMPLE.
Perhaps no better example of its in
furious nature can be found than I'm the
city OF Pawtucket In that city there
are 2e0l persons eligible TO vote on rel
estate There were also S025 persons as
sessed last year as personal property vot-
ers and eligible TO vote as such. All but
n few OF these personal property voters
were assessed for 500 each. that amount I
being enough 90 cover the law which pro
vidcs that any person assessed for 81,
real or personal property. may vote Tor \
members OF the city council or on any
proposition 10 impose tax.
or the entire number assessed FOR Se0).
not more than 100 or 200 paid their own
taxes Practically all the rest were as
sessed without their own request or
knowledge. without ever appearing he
fore the board OF tax assessors. without
knowing the location OF their supros a
property or Of what r. consisted Under
the usual practice this large body ~ men
has its taxes paid the last night slch
payment IL allowable by the political
managers who expect 20 got It's votes on
election day. Hundreds OF men are put
on the personal property list for 500.
and are absolutely unknown TO the taN
assessors. their names being given in
bulk hy the political leaders 20 the as.
SCISSORS.
A short time ago 40 names were add