The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1910-12-29
AFRAID TO TRUST THE People

IL the people OF Vermont want a
concrete instance OF the mischief
such an abaurdiy undemocratic thin
~ the time lock ON their eonstitu.
ton can do. n they want 10 appre-
eiate most keenly the reasons taa,
impelled the commission to propos,
It's remoyal---they have abundan,
opportunity now. Ton senators has
stood up Ia the senate chamber ant
by their votes forbidden all the PEG
pie OF the state Of Fefmnt too pas
upon that proposal for IS years!
And just so long as the constitu.
ton remains as Il s,any eleven sen
ators can do this yeryEame thing
for all time TO COME
In the name OF Ethan Allen. il
this a free government. is Il a truly
republican. or truly democratic gov
ernment, IL u representative gov
ernment--whon eleven men can Ike, /,
hundreds OF thousands OF fellow eli. :
xens from changing jot or q title
OF their fundamental law?
What chance will Vermont have
to make progress In the decades L
come when eleven slandpgtters,
eleven reactionhTlcs. can forever
block the wheels In this manner. nc
matter what the peOpi. want3 We
are only beginning to see the eyo-
tuition OF popular government In thii
land. Our present Institutions ant
forms are far from perfect. Tn,
spirit OF the age inelines more and
more toward a broader democracy
and one by one many lor cherish
ed ideas OF the PRINCIPLES OF vern
moht are going down before IL.
Some OF the wisest men Of the gen
GRAFTON are beginning 10 assail Tea.
lures OF our American iGea OF gov
eminent that for generations have
been rcgaI ded ms almost ilnallt.e
In the development OF civic liberty
and popular rule. Aud the great
body OF sober minded. thoughtful
patriotic citizens is beginning TO rs
ten 10 them and do some hare
thinking. Great changes are a.
borBing. through slow evolution
AIRY gIo@th. doubtless, but stu radl
cal changes Ia their ultimate We
are going TO make the bounds ol
Freedom wider yet While perhaps
no special fundamental IN the plan
aud frame OF Nermoni's government
Is threatened to-day. yet. having Ia
mind the present temper and pros
p@ctiye growth OF enlightened pOpn-
lar opinion IN this country, every
student Of clvlcs. every careful OBJ
server Of public affairs Is prepared
for tremendous changes In years 10
cine, some Of which may even be
realized In the days % our grand
children. II not before
What IL Vermont going 10 do
shout sii this9 ~ she going 20 lock
the door 10 the Future with the Ike,
Of tho Past and put up the slgl
NO Thoroughiarefi il abe going
10 alt down ttubbornly beside an an
cent law and deny the possibility
81 changer
Or " she goiRg 10 keep mi open
mind and welcoRe MI all times from
all men Intelligent proposals for the
bcsterment OF her laws. give them
such careful consideration as they
deseFy. and pass judgment upon
them from time 10 time according 10
their .mefiisf
That's all the amendment submit.
ted BY the commission proposed ID
dia not make IL any easier 10 amend
the constitution than il IL nov. be-.
cause a prupts conservatism Ia such
matters wisely hedges the organic
Las 81 people about with safe
guards agalns, tickle and cAprleious
change. h1t 10 guard asainst such
folly h one ihiug. practically 20 pre-
el1de tho probability OF making any
change al all. il another.
The organic law OF tho people
should be lisirg law. i,s taada-
mentAlk should be matters % every
day knowledge a. every Citizen, ~
that various proposals. " change pgs-
scnt~d In one way or another from
time 10 tltac inGr be fe.iberAged and
decided from the slsa point 81
hlEhly Intelligent popular Hnderftan
lnx 81 their merits. Every Yer
n.ons reader 81 these lints knows
that for The past forty years. ever
since the time iodk prereated pro-
pos1ls except once ia ten years.
the sabgecs 81 ies constitutional
law ~ the state has rot only failed
al popular discussion bpt genera
tons have Aflsen ihas 6o NOT even
profess 10 kGoN The simple f1di.
heats % H.
TIE way 20 restore thls eAsrter
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