Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1913-02-19
LETTING THE ACRES RULE"

Editor Monitor:
In your issue of Jan. 10Th, you
quote from the st. Adams Messenger
and the Rutland News brief articles
criticizing our present system of town
Along the same lines.
the Burlington Free Press of Feb.
18th, copies from the Windsor Journal.
the following:
1.-THE frightening sessions of the
Vermont State legislature cause un-
easiness and provoke criticism. It is
easy to say that more business-li like
methods should be pursued by the leg
islators and that the people should ex
ercise care in sending to Montpelier
only experienced and efficient men.
This would involve an extraordinary
change in habit-a change that must
necessarily pe slow in taking place if
it could be accomplished at all. We
doubt very much if dispatch of bust
ness coupled with thoroughness can be
attained by Legislature, organized as
is Vermont's. in these times when
novelties in legislation are so general
ly rife.
For real legislative reform in Yer
mont the true solution is a wholesale
reduction in the size of both houses OF
the legislature. Today, the senate,
chosen from the several counties as
separate senate districts and appor
toned among them according to popu-
lation, is essentially and by somewhat
of an anomaly the popular body. The
house, by another anomaly, composed
of representatives from the two hun
dred and forty odd municipal units
without regard to population is not a
popular body. In this scheme of gov
eminent the ordinary theory of the
relation of House and Senate is invert-
ed. Ii the present senate, with its
thirty members, should be made by
constitutional amendment the lower
house and if by further amendment
there should be constituted a senate
composed of fourteen senators, one
being chosen by each county, there
would then be legislature which
would accord with the ordinary prin-
ciple of republics and would, at the
same time, be free from the unwieldi-
ness of the present legislature.
ELECTION to House of thirty mem
bers would be more of an honor than
election to a House of two hundred
and fifty. The responsibility resting
| upon the electorate and the represent
atives would be vastly increased. In
| 0VlCdUly Iilc I0SulG WOulu NC lar
| higher average of efficiency in the in
afford to pay and would pay respect
able salary to a representative. The
same would be true of the reorgan-
lied senate. The change would, al
the same time, be an immense saving
in cost to the state. Mileages, per
Idiems and an enlarged statehouse
would give way to those needs that
are real. The conveniently SizeC
Legislative bodies with opportunity fol-
| thorough acquaintance among mem
bers and the fullest exchange of view.
would relieve the state of it's presen
burden and make real progress swift
and certain.
| have read these articles with tn
keenest interest They speak plainl,
of a matter on which Vermonter
have been long and strangely silent
Let US be silent no longer. Let u
look the matter squarely in the face
To quote from the article givel
above THE senate is essentially tn
popular body" because it is appor
toned among the counties according t
population. Not SO in the house
There, the man from a town having
not more than twenty-five voters sit
side by side with the representative O
town of 10000 and one has the sam
voting power as the other. Is this rea
representation? At every session
large number of our lawmakers ar
new and inexperienced although the
may be competent men. AS long a
this continues to be so, it follows in
evitably that much time and money ar
wasted before the house settles dow
as body, for real work, and ar
competent either to originate or to pa
upon different measures as they com
up. This is all wrong, and just nov
, the air is full of criticism of our legis
lature. But have we reason to eXpeC
any greater promptness or efficienc
at our next session, or ever, as lon
as our present system of represents
ton is in force? Any one ca
criticize. but why be content wit
criticism? Why not begin to work
now, for time when town lines sha
not exist for purposes of represent;
ton, time when we will send to GU
}, legislature the best man in distrit
made up with regard to population il
stead of area. And when with du
: care, we have selected such "bes
+ man. and he has attained by exper
q ence to his highest usefulness, VIII
relegate him to private life at the er
of one session, when he can serve h
constituency and all Vermont so niue
better through second or third tel
of Office? 1t is very unlikely that v
have more efficient legislature III
til we have smaller one. Whs
shall we do? Decrease the numbt
of our representative thereby addi1
to their efficiency, or increase the si1
: of our statehouse at an expe nse
n $500, 900 and continue on in the sam
t rut in which we have travelled f,
o years? 1t takes time to bring abol
any important change in government
al affairs, but it can be DONE Tn
matter is in the hands of the Peep
and they can settle it as they will
Voters, think on these things.
Mrs. H. T. Seaver.