Omaha daily bee., 1886-08-28
pon,,or Voting For Senators.

81. prd Pioneer Press.
The experiment Of MIR. Van Wyck, by
which he taxes advantage of hitherto
unused section of the Nebraska law, per
hitting the people to express by ballot
their preference in the matter of chooS-
ing United States senator, has oc-
casioncd much comment. For the pro
vision of law and the resort had to 1t are
Justly looked upon rs the possible be
ginnings of n constitutional revolution in
the method of clccting members OF our
upper house. II is of little consequence
what the result may be in the case OF
Mr.. Van Wyck. But /; is interesting TO
consider what would follow from a
general copying of the Nebraska law in
other states. Of course such popular
vote for senator could not have tho least
legal effect The constitution of the
Unit d States prosCribcs the method of
choosing senators, which must be by vote
of the legislature. But it is quite possible
to change the practical working OF that
provision, while leaving the letter OF 1t
unaltcrcd, Just us the original plan of
committing the selection OF n president
to the personal choice of an electoral
college has been completely overthrown,
while the college itself, and all the empty
formalities accompanying 1t, are retained
rs created by the constitution. Ii is
obvious that, If the states generally were
to provide for an informal ballot for
United States senator, at the state election
next preceding the expiration of n
senatorial term, and II the people pener-
ally were to avail themselves of this per.
mission, it would not be long, before such
vote would come to be considered morally
binding upon the legislature, and the
actual selection of senators be transferred
to the people by direct ballot.
1t will, perhaps, bear considering
whether there would be more OF gain or
loss in such possible peaceful revolu
ton. OF course the theory of the con-
represents the aggregate of the people
and the upper house tho states i'll their
political capacities, would be entirely
set aside. But there is not q great deal
left OF il anyway. With the destruction
of the notion of state sovereignty, the
state, rs a factor in national affairs, lost
its chief importance and prerogative.
For local matters the state is as supreme
as eyer, AT Washington the state cuts
an extremely small figure. The change
in this particular, therefore, would be
more formal and less actual tnan at first
appears. Moreover, there have been
forces at work for some time to commend
the notion to Il very different reception
from what 1t would have met II short
time ago. The dissatisfaction with the
senate and with the sort of material that
gets INTO it under the present system is
real and profound. The spreading
custom OF selecting millionaire figure
heads for what ought to be the most
dignitied and important representative
position, reserved for the most eN-
periencGd and ablest citizen of a state,
has Shorn the senatorial office of some of
its dignity and respect in the eyes of the
people. The apparent disregard of the
senate for that public opinion to which
it hardly considers itself responsible, as
shown in the refusal to abolish secret
sessions and in the standing custom of
subordinating every public interest to
the demands of senatorial courtesy"
have started an agitation not entirely to
be despised, for the abolition of the
senate. That, of course, is both undcsir
able and impossible, since the constitu-
ton declares that no state shall, without
It's own consent, be deprived of its equal
representation in the senate. But the
discomfort would be satisfied if the upper
house were to be made, rs the lower now
is, practically responsible in the first in
stance to public opinion. All will de-
pend upon the extent to which future
Legislatures voice the popular will in
senatorial elections, and the extent to
which the senate itself concludes to sub
mt its large independence to that will.
If the membership and conduct of that
body should continue to exhibit the
changes marked in the last dozen years,
it would not be at all surprising to find 4
general adoption of the Nebraska idea,
and popular determination which
would compel legislatures to observe, in
electlng senators, the choice thus indi-
Gated in advance.