The morning journal-courier. (New Haven, Conn.) 1907-1913, 1908-09-22
THE CONNECTICUT TOWN.

A plank in the democratic platform
in Connecticut this year pledges the
faith OF that political organization in
the historic system of town govern
molt" and commits It Ito rs preserva-
ton" II then goes on to say: AT tn,
same time. we pledge our efforts to Sc
cure legislation which shall afford the
populous communities just and ade-
qua,c representation in the house OF
representatives.
We do not remember to have seen
just this presentation of the rotten
Borough system Of Connecticut though
there has never been much more har-
mony on that subject In the democratic
party of Connecticut than is to be
found in the republican party. The
votes which were repeatedly cast In
the constitutional convention against
the various propositions to modify the
rule of the state by. the small towns
included those cast by rock ribbed
democrats. 1t is probably in recognition
of the determined attitude Of the
towns that the democratic convention
saw fit to so far modify previous plat
form utterances upon this subject as
to affirm the continuance Of the town
system. This leaves the party free to
.agitate for system of representation,
which shall more nearly typify the rule
Of the majority. II will be dificult
thing TO do, for It will involve. prac-
tically the reorganization of the Lower
house Of the legislature but 1t is new
ertheless a sound cause TO advance and
advocate
The principle of recognizing In the
organization Of the house Of represen-
tatives the one hundred and sixty eight
towns OF the state has much to com
mend It, and the evils which have
sprung UP In Its wake because Of the
shifting population from town to city
can be considered without hostility to
that principle 1t all depends upon the
attitude of those small towns which
now have two representatives, and
which UP to date have shown no dis
position to lop off one Of them. The
kind of representation which the demo-
Gratis must have In mind cannot be
added to the house as 1t Is at present
organized. The result would be an un-
wieldy body. 1t would be large enough
with the new city representation added
to single representative from each
town, the only manner In which any
material Improvement over existing
conditions could be effected.
The question which must sooner OF
later be fought out again Is that OF
popular rule Connecticut cannot 20 or
forever under the thumb of handful
Of small towns which hold minority
Of the citizens of the state. 1t is not
question of their doing the right thins
most of the time, so far as the large
centers Of population are concerned; Il
is question of representative govern
ment. That was what the original con
stitution makers had in mind and It IL
not their fault today that unrepre
sentative government exists In 1T
place That can be charged up to acct
dent. Could they have foreseen thu
consequences Of unequal and acct
dental development they would have
provided for it To hesitate to restor,
the original balance now, because 4
has been found that the accidental de
veopment has brought certain deEnit,
advantages to the small towns in
wolves an Indifference to the funda
mental principles Of republican gov
eminent which is quite startling.