Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-09-02

| 40
tho present method OF sending
r,nresentntives to the Legislature. that
1, hv townships. This IS only natural .
,r,amuch as this has been the method
~ -,prescntation for generations, and
,,bot father thought Especially in
noIitics) Is usually good enough for
the son. This honest belief that tho
present system is the only right sys-
tenn Is due from the fact that little
thought has been given tho matter.
7, has not been necessary. There has
been no demand for n change. Now
that the discussion has begun we be-
licve tho voter of the small towns
will think the matter out with fair
struct their representative to vote as
thcy honestly believe
Some Vermont dailics have denoted
nurprisc that few smaller towns
have already declared themselves In
| favor Of district representation, thus
| icprivirg themselves possibly of di-
rect representation. This nstonish-
mcnt from the larger places would In
dlcatc that the honesty OF the small
place in saying what II thought, re-
eordle-s Of personal interests, was
not undcratood-- beyond the comprc-
! ~ ton
would vote for district and population
representation for selfish reasons pos
Silly. Not n single large place maxi
ing public expression favors tho
present system, but IT must be Cd
mittod there ere two sides to the
question.
"Ry LONG continued reasoning with
itscIf the Monitor believes the present
system of representation IS not as
rood rs the right form OF population
re presentation could be made. IN
what form and Just how this repre-
Ia not ready to say.
"'The reasoning that has brought tho
Monitor to the belief that tho present
system was not proper. is about as
follows:
The government Of this state IS, or
ought to be, by the whole people ana
for the whole people Under the
present system In Vermont this Is not
! true. In orleans county they aver
age 1900 people to each reprcser a p
tive in the Legislature but Newport
with 3 500 people has exactly tho same
say in state government, as West
more with only 400 people. This illus
tration might he carried much further
! Monitor that we do not now have
| equal representations government by
the whole people-and II is very like 70
| " not to be government for the whole
people. Because man happens TO
! 1--we n few rods one way or another
over n town lire is no logical reason
for his having n greater or less inru-
cncc In state affairs. The geography
of the state tells the story Of state
government to-day and not the whole
people To-day - per cent. Of the
geography Of tho State--which in
is governing - per cent. of the PEG
| plc-who live on 25 per cent. of tho
geography Of the state This is not a
true democratic government We want
government BY THE PEOPLE,"
From the DAYS Of Ethan Allen down
to the present tho Green Mountain
boys have stood for fair play. and If
there is any one thing that character
ICES tho average Nermonter to-day it
Is love of square deal The Monitor
has emphasized this feature of the
situation in manner that cannot
fail to have a marked influence.
Another consideration which the
contemporary brings ont with new
'''N' ~ mat W ~ INV e. '''' iH'H' i'''
is thoroughly studied by the small
| towns. but one conclusion is possible.
| II is safe 70 go further and say that
in the long run tie small towns will
| find It for their interest to secure a
smaller as woll as a moro efficient
Legislature. More and moro It is
coming to be rocogr zel that the
small towns must depend upon the
State for tho maintenance of good
roads and efficient schools. ana il fol-
| lows as n matter of course that mod
crn methods in every respect must be
adopted If these systems are 10 reach
their highest and most satisfactory
point OF development
The time when the small town In
Vermont could stsni ON its own bot
tom IN complctc isolation and keep
UP In the march Of progress has past
away for cver.
VEGETABI.E GOSSIP.