Putnam patriot., 1923-11-02
REEVES QUESTION
OF REPRESENTATION
Cities May Try Again to Have
More Representatives In
Legislature
Hartford Republican. Aetive.---Willi-
mantle After Cheap lee for City
BY
"MORTIAkE"
Special Correspondence to The Put
nam Patriot.

nam Patriot.
Hartford, October 3O.-It would
seem from recent newspaper contro-
versy that there was possibility Of
reviving the constitutional question
Of representation in the general as
sembly. II is just twenty-one years
since constitutional convention,
which was made up Of delegates from
all the towns OF the state. made an
effort TO amend the constitution In
such a way as 20 remove the cause
of complaint against the existing con
stitution. The constitution reported
By the convention was rejected by the
people Of the state and the work Of
FIVE months of debating and suggest
ing went for nothing. II was felt,
and Il is felt now. that a mistake was
made in rejecting the reformed con
stitution and that the people were III.
advised In taking adverse action on
il, The convention did not give the
cities aud other eenters Of population
III they had asked for But there
was generous concession made To
them. Il was mere than half a loaf.
II contained a compromise that was
worthy of acceptance of the people
who live In cities and horoughs Daniel
Davenport. Of Bridgeport, who had
taken the lead AZ the convention
against the present system Of repre-
sentation and who, without doubt,
was the ablest man on the side Of
reform, was, more than anyone else,
responsible for the action Of the
electors Of the state In rejecting the
new constitution. Mr. Davenport WIS
absolutely sincere in his irrecOneilable
attitude He told the people Of the
cities that the new constitution did
not redress their grievances and thnt
they should not accept 1t. They fol.
lowed his advice
No Complaint Now
It is notable fact that not once
during the twenty-one years that have
elapsed since the proposed constitu-
ton was rejected has there beet; s
word heard about the "intolerable in
capabilities" Of the present unreformed
constitution. The towns, in all the IN
tervening years, have continued TO
control the ccntera Of population.
The towns have not hampered the
cities in their development and the
cities have not ceased 20 favor every
project for the Improvement of the
country towns, such as improving the
highways and rnising the standard Of
education. Both seem to realize the
fact that neither is the entire state.
and that Connecticut Is made up OF
both The town system has not been
diseredited and the cities have not
been DISTINGUISHED. There are many
people living in the cities who have
accustomed themselves to look at the
constitutional question In the per
spective and not from an angle. They
see in town representation IN the
general assembly safeguard 70
Connecticut ideals which Is desirable
10 have even IL the necessity Of using
il Il remote. The people Of Hartford
had an object lesson some years ago
when there were before them three
propositions for appropriations. Two
Of the propositions called Tor appro-
priations amounting to considerably
more than million dollars. The
other, which was for the restoration
81 the old state house in the center
Of Hartford. a historic building where
t the famous Hartford convention wits
held when James Madison was presi'
dent. called for only Si5.00 The
people Of Hartford voted the larger
appropriations but rejected the one
for s45, 900. The historic value OF
the state house did not appeal to them
Fortunately the building was saved
by the patriotic efforts Of the late
Governor Morgan 6. Bulkeley
Hartford Preparing For Campaign
There is a noticeable activity among
the Republicans Of Hartford which Il
an encour lging sign. The division
~ the city into voting precincts has
necessitated changes IN the organiza.