The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1908-07-15
FRANK Z. HOWE. Editor and Publisher
Changes in Vermont,

Changes in Vermont.
Perhaps that falling off In polls in
Washington county may continue long |
enough to enable Franklin county to
get back the senator she lost by
narrow margin in the reappointment
based on the census of 1900 There
was plain case of the injustice
worked by the infleXible
operation of mere mathematics in
statute. when county that had in
creased its population largely If not
altogether through the accession OF
foreign workmen not yet naturalized
could take away a lawmaker from a
county whose representation was still
based on the steadfast native vote.
No one can blame Washington county
for gaining what it could under the
law and the prospects for the ultimate
of part OF the for
eigners locating there were good, of
course, and in many respects such an
accession TO the population was de
sirable. But all that reasoning cannot
avoid the simple fact that the third
senator that was lost to one county
represented there a constituency that
was more nearly In accord with the
American notion of who should make
the laws than the alines, however
welcome, that won him away.-St. AL
bans Messenger.
We fear the Messenger has for
gotten the circumstances of the loss
by Franklin county of n senator
nearly eight years ago, Washington
county won the senatorship by an
Overwhelming lead. The narrow mar
gin that the Messenger has In mind
was tot the lead of Washington coun-
ty over Franklin but the slight diff
ference in population between Frank
lin and Windsor making 1t a ques-
ton, until the exact figures were
known, which of the two would lose
its third senator Windsor won, hay
ing a lead of some 1000 in population
over Franklin,
The gaining of a senator by Wash
Iington county was never in doubt
from the first. BY the census of 1900
Washington county had a population
of 36,6O7 while Windsor county had
1925 and Franklin had 9O,19S. In
1890 the number of people in Wash
ington county was 29,9O6, while In
Windsor were 3l,706 and in Franklin
29,755.
As to the number of voters in the
counties under discussion the ballot
in the presidential year Of 1904 ought
to be a fair test. In the September
election of 1904 Washington county
cast 69O6 ballots, Windsor county cast
66O7. and Franklin 552S, thus again
demonstrating the unquestioned lead
OF Washington county. AS to the
lduality of citizenship, comparisons
are odious and we have not the OF
fetal figures at hand but we will BET
the Messenger pumpkin pie that The
percentage of illiteracy among the
adults OF Franklin county is greater
than among those Of Washington
.. county. OF course the native Ameri
cans of the two counties are no
essentially different in this respect
but the Scotch. North country Italians
Irish, English and Scandinavians o
Barre are a pretty bright and wei
educated lot, much better, we doub
not, than some of the Canadians VIII
are SO plenty in the towns of Frank
lin county.
| There is another interesting featur
| of this discussion in relation to tn
prospect dependant on the census
1910 which is only two years hence
II the counties should maintain thei
growth between 1900 and 1910 in tn
same relative proportion that the
did between 1890 and 1900, Windso
county will lose the senator that sh
saved in 1900 and this one will ais
llbe added to the Washington count
Idelegation giving that county fou
- the same number that Rutland coul
= ty now has If Washington count
. should fall off in its percentage
| gain and Chittenden county shou
Imake a fair increase, the senate
| that Windsor county seems likely
| lose anyway will go to Chittenden /
| stead of to Washington.
| If both Chittenden and Washingtc
lcounties should increase their rate
gain to even a moderate extent bo'
| of them will be entitled to anoth
| senator. In this case one of the
Iwould gain the one that Winds
llcounty seems due to lose and u
other would get one of the two tn
| Orange county now has thus redu
ling the Orange county representau'
! in the state senate to one. GRAM
= county has been steadily losing
population for q long time. In 10
the population of Orange county W
23.522. In 1890 1t was reduced
1855 and in 1900 1t was down
19.919. Bennington county whi
ranks next above Orange in popu
ton seems safe for the present
least as Bennington and Manches'
have both been gaining In number
1919 nnL Ahn Aun Of them will m(