The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-12-24
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

T HE GENERAL ASSEMBLY will meet in about two weeks I This old and honorable legislative body began as one of the most democratic institutions the gobeperhap the mos-and to be of the most undemocrauc Plu ra voting destroyed Prussia Women vote Tn Ghlna ana Russia More than six million voted for Lloyd George in the recent British elections The General Assembly, equal when the English parliament the tool of kings is not now by equal suffrage It is based upon and ana ests e expression of of the political Ideals o1 the o the small towns of Connecticut
 Union has $50 inhabitants and two representatives Bridgeport has 450 inhabitants and elects two representa- lives This plural voting with bells on Prussan Junker with acres tremendous cast than 9 votes to the One vote of the plain citizen In Prussia plural voting f3e dono away vitb In Ct.a.a.. title of uadness It is called the historic system Under this system the man in Union 50 voe for the vote of the man in Bridgeport .
 system deliberately made unjust sided and unfair will have about the marks of intelligence Created in deb- erafon such system will have few drawbacks possible not purpose the dsfranchsemen of the people,
 The historic system is what its title imples happened IL wasn't made Connecticut General Assembly, in which Unon has representatives as Bridgeport Is ke Iopsy 1t just gowed this system opportunity for little places tiny jobs has come who under popular system would have living There little town courts small jobs of audng all sorts of public posts that yet LOOK a1rac- tive to men of communities lonesome and distant These men come the Assembly year after They take turns with their neighbors,
 There is city court ring distributes itself through house and senate gives itself the emouments after year. The whole system antque unrepresentave bad to the core fingers fingers in time when other States becoming democratic In Massachusetts earliest set 1IOIllIoAOA0' 10o+' laon by and referendum Elections have never based upon vote one representative to many vOtes
 In New York just the other side, they have universal equal suffrage Men and vote Those who vote get equal representation
 Laws are tools Legislation is the machinery of society," These things just truly lathe drill is machine. The tools of commonwealth become ar chair outworn obsolete certainly the tools of factory will long be unconscious that it is losing in the competitions just as an industrial plant may not know iii it ate what improvements rivals have installed
 Frequently does industrial organization sink into pro found upor of incompetence while those who operate 1t have the highest opinion of their situation.
 To sure historic system fails of it's worst surrounded by the machinery of modern states has the benefit of national progress Con- neccut merely department great plant So long the rest the plant progresses cannot suffer the full evils of its stagnation
 is time however, for the people of Connecticut to inquire it quite practical entirely wise and wholesome TOT Con cling to its historic system remaining backward in democracy in a age when all others go forward.
 not the rest of the world that will be the most injur- ed by these seeds of decay in the bosom of the state but the state itself Communities become accustomed to their de- fecs just individuals do to theirs:
 Thus in Connecticut is the spectacle of citizens appaudng progress abroad while at home they retain and admire and boast about the historic system.
 It is if euogizng railroad train drawn by an electric engine should admirng refer to the stage coach back home mracuousy preserved the preferable of loco motion
 The historic system in Connecticut legislation harks back coach The old mother Of he the sol away and noted that they all out of step icept Jm
 In the march of political progress hcy all out of step but Connecticut.
 LAYING OFF HELP