The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-07-02
District Representation.

TIE state press 10 quite notable
extent Il advancing thc suggestion Of
district representation in the popular
branch Of the Legislature, instead Of one
from each town and city as at present.
The one particular argument advanced
against such a basis Of representation
4 that it might mitigate aginst the
smaller individual town. Just why this
danger might arise u Is not made plain,
nor Is Il easily 10 be imagined. Other
states have district representation
and the complaint is yet 70 Be heard
that the little town has q lesser voice
ID legislation because Of such O rule.
IN Massachusetts, it takes 10000 peo-
ple to send one man TO the legislature.
Were Burlington IN Massachusetts, she
would have two representatives IN each
Legislature, wlile the town 81 800 pop
ulation might have one in each ten
years. All this on The grounds that
IS 600 people should have larger
voice IN public affairs than 500. This
they "a not have in Vermont In New
Hampshire the representation, while
much greater than it IL in Vermont, n,
never the less, on The basis OF popula
ton Thus, were Burlington IN New
Hampshire, SHE would have twenty rep-
sentatives IN the lower branch 81 each
legislature and Of these twenty The in-
ference Il iiist that some twelve on ff-
teen would Be men Of strength, ability,
and Of legislative fitness, while she to
day IA Just as apt to send stick 70 the
legislature as She IA a man Of legisia-
tive calibre. New Hampshire's biz rep
reseBtation secures for her the abiest
House Of representatives there is, pre-
sumahly, in the entire country. II easi-
Iy transcends the same body in New
York OF Massachusetts, but 1t il chosen
on the basis Of population, in other
words upon the principle that two men
should have more 70 say than one.
Again, ii is difficult to comprehend
what interests the average Vermont
town can have in legislature after
the election is over than II would have
under the district system Of represen-
tatian. Not one town in ten ever hears
az its member after he lands in Mont
pelier and if any citizen has q bin he
wishes to have reported IL is Just as
easy for him to communicate with one
from a district as 1t is from town.
Under Xermonts present system of rep
resentation il is the easiest thing IN
the world to bring its legislature under
the sway and domination Of a machine
or Of The third house.
The saving 10 the expense Of running
the legislature If representation was
upon 8 basis Of population in district
system would 30 Of secondary impor
tanee, a. compared to the higher stand
ard of ability that would BE secured il
the average legislature,
But this matter 81 cutting down the
number ~ representatives just to save
expense should not Be 4 matter Of es
pecial concern when there are 50 many
ways FOR reducing state expenditures.
The member of the legislature. as
rule. holds Office for but one session.
His salary IS expended Ia each and ev.
cry town, and as regards the smaller
towns every man sooner or later win
have Whaes at the Office under the
existing SYSTEM As regards other OH
ees tbe state has more ihan are needed
ana the salaries that so with these are
III instances. twice and even three times
greater than are paid in states Of great
er population and resources.-Nhite
River Junction Landmark.