Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-10-09

The American Senate was founded for
treble purpose; to act as a check upon haSty
executive authority OF the President, and TO up
hold the rights OF individual states belonging 70
the federation; IN other words, TO protect local
the imperial power. The House of Representa-
ttves was 70 represent the Union; the senate
the states composing that Union senator's
only for two. One-third OF the Senate, how
ever, is renewed every two years. Mr.. Glad
stone has described the American constitution
as a MASTERPIECE OF human wisdom. Its trainers
certainly achieved one signal success; they de-
vtsed a second chamber at once popular and
efficient for the purposes ior winch IL was de.
the action OF the House OF Representatives; yet
no cry has ever been raised against Its privi-
legeS, and no American dreams or aboliShiny It.
The same can hardly be said OF any senate in
the Old World.
The United states senate may be called the
model PIPER House. France, with all the poliJ-
1cal genius OF neT sons, has never been able to
create an assembly possessed OF the like pres
fiE,e AID popularity. The Second Republic con-
tented itself with single National Assembly.
Napoleon III. TeeStabllShed dual legislature.
his Senate being constructed on the simplest of
all possible plans 1t consisted Of $50 members
named for NE by the Emperor. at his own dis
CTctiun- Cardinals, InarShaiS aud adtniralS Wer
also r. DtfftO Senators. As the Pope confer
the Tcd ha5, the curious spectacle was thus pre-
senied or members OF a National Legislature
2I o0iDttd Oy q foreign Prince.
The Senarc OF the second Empire contained
s3ne distinguished names, those. for Instance
or SalnteBeuve and Prosper Merilnee. Yet the
mass or the French people lever ace Oried it the
ightest amount OF yeneration. Tle coaStrp,
ftGers rocked bur lightly OF their own dlgalty.
Prosper MeTimee owns that he felt SomewhaF
nervous as he rose TO deliver his maiden speech.
But he adds, Il soon remembered that wa
only addressing hundred aad fifty fools; ana
plucked up heart" The part played by this
august body in September. 1870, was scarcely
calculated to raise rs fame. After Sedan. one
Senator proposed that himself and colleagues
should sit permanently. Another trreverently
oblec; ed that they must dine; and his arguments
prevailed. The Senate preferred permanent
adjournment, and forthwith vaniShedinto space.
The Constitution OF 1915 gave France its present
Upper Chamber which foreigner would con-
slider fairly we'll composed. It is TO some extent
the creation OF the Duke Of Broglie'S mind
though not, OF course, nOminaly the work Of the
ROyaliSt leader. The Duke, in a report presented
TO the National Assembly on the best method of
selecting Chamber OF Control, adj United that the
hereditary principle was out OK the question in
modern France. Equally out OF tue question
was the idea OF a Senate the members OF which
should be named by the Chief of the Executive.
IL seemed best, therefore. to devise controlling
assembly elected b5 limited suffrage. and this
was accordingly done: and at the same time 10
endeavor to combine the elements of stability
and OF harmony With the genera. drift o. public
opinion by naming portion OF the members for
life and the rest for a term OF years The Senate
numbers 300, or whom 225 hold their seats for
nine years, and - for life. The 225 are renew
able by seventy every three years. The T5
the retiring National Assembly. At each sue
ceSSive life vacancy, the united Senate co-optS
life member. Conservatives and Moderate5 are
toleraoly we'll satisfied with this Assembly: the
Extreme left Is ayoWedly anxious TO abolish the
institution altogether. a peculiar attribute Of
the French Senate is that It's consent is neces-
SaTy before the President OF the Republic can
dissolve the Lower Chamber, the natural term
OF whose existence Is five years.
Tue Upper Houses OF Prussia. Austria and
Hungary are all three constructed on pretty
much the same lines. Ia each there are heredi-
tary peers, peers named for life. pears elected
py the landed arfstOcracy and ergtftjO peers In
the Austrian and Hungarian Parlaments, the
proportion or eCclesiaSticS Is considerable
though not sufficient TO justify any fears OF
clerical domination. But the Parliamentary
life OF the two German Empires Is not yet sum-
GENTLY developed TO enable contemporaries to
Judge with any certainty OF the durability OF
working power Of these SenateS
In TACT. OF the great Powers OF the world DOS
sesSiDg free Institutions, only England America
and France furnish data or such Importance as
10 repay careful study OF their political organ
katlon from what may be called a Ltberal-Con-
seIVat1Ye point OF view; namely. that OF making
The best OF what is already established while at
the same time considering how it may further
De improved. Belgium, for instance has an
excellent working constitution, but rhe little
Kingdom or Leopold H., which exists only
through the guarantee or mghtier states can
scarcely De said 10 afford any Instructive eX am
pie to iuCiepeQdent nations