80 UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO STUDIES 



Delegates to the convention were elected in November, and the conven- 

 tion met in January, 1902. The rural element in power in the legisla- 

 ture had taken pains to keep their power in the convention by provid- 

 ing for the election of a majority of the delegates from the towns. As 

 this party was unwilling to give up the power it had so long held on 

 account of the inequality of representation, it was impossible to remedy 

 the greatest defect in the old constitution. After a stormy session of 

 more than four months, the convention adjourned, May 15, 1902. It 

 had prepared a new constitution which did not correct the defect of 

 representation in the old instrument, and it was accordingly rejected 

 by the people at an election, June 16, 1902. The fact that the people 

 of Connecticut continue to live peaceably under a government with such 

 inequalities in the representation establishes beyond peradventure the 

 justice of calling that State the "land of steady habits." 



RESTRICTIONS ON THE POWER OF THE LEGISLATURE 



In all recent constitutional growth there is a distinct tendency to 

 curb the power of the legislature. This has resulted from the great 

 abuse by the legislature of its power to pass local and special legislation. 

 Numerous are the laws that have been enacted for the benefit of indi- 

 viduals. Nor is the justice of many of these very apparent. It is 

 generally felt that there is greater chance for bribery and corruption 

 when the legislature gives so much of its time to the passage of special 

 laws. As illustrations of these laws it may be stated that in many 

 States corporations are still chartered by the legislature. This is true 

 of so advanced a State as New York. In that State some of the greatest 

 assaults on the liberties of the people have come to light in connection 

 with corporations specially chartered by the legislature. The Ramapo 

 Water Company and the New York and New Jersey Bridge Bill are 

 well-known examples. In some states it is common to pass acts to 

 admit certain individuals to the bar. This is frequently the scheme 

 resorted to by the men who have pulls to get their friends to practice 

 law in States where the requirements are high. A number of States 

 still pass special acts in order to change the names of persons. In 

 Virginia many of the counties have separate game laws. Texas has a 

 separate highway law for most of its counties. The law prescribing 



