Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-03-26


bodies of the States. 1t is true that the
States will still be equally represented in
the upper house, and must always be if
we are to preserve the Union; but the
choice by the people by indirection was
purposeful, and with the idea of securing
body of higher capacity and greater dignity.
If the new system is adopted the distinc-
ton between the two houses will be found |
in the length of the Senatorial terms, and
the fact that the Senators will more truly
represent the majority of the people. In
this sense the change will be to purer
republicanism. By district representation
it is not only possible, but it frequently
occurs, that the majority of the people in
State are not represented in the lower
house. Thus, party's membership may
be so distributed that it cannot elect a
representative in any one district, when, if
massed, the strength of the party would be
sufficient to elect all the Congressman in
State. 1t was this fact that led President
Garfield to say: I'm my Judgment it is
the weak point in the theory of representa-
tive government as now organized and adj
ministered, that large portion of the
people are permanently disfrsnchised"
He gave many illustrations of this drawn
from experience in his own State, and was
led by them to advocate a system of pro-
portional or minority representation.
The methods employed in modern poll
tics by the bosses, of whom Senatorial as
pirants have so frequently made use, I'M
questionably account for the proposed new
departure. But the question is by no
means closed one. If the original plan
was sound, and abuse of it relates only to
modern methods in influencing Legisla-
lures, may we not with better grace devote
ourselves to reformation of the methods,
and extirpation of venality and bossism,
than to injecting new contests for offices
into popular elections? On the other
hand, the choice of Senators by the people
at large will be, as we bave said, more truly
representative than in the case OF mem
bers for the lower House The latter will,
as now, represent local interests, and while
under that system, as Simeon Stetson puts
it in his pamphlet essay on representation,
very often locality beats strength" the
essential of the representation of interests
as defined by district bounds will remain,
while Senators chosen by a system in
which all interests take part, will repre-
sent the State as a political organism, and
be democratic choice in as true sense as
is possible under our system, which, where
there are more than two candidates in the
field, permits a plurality to rule.
Of course legislative selection, even if
the Legislature is chosen with direct ref
erence to the Senatorship, is choosing by
the majority of a majority, and therefore
direct election brings the Senate
that much nearer to the people, and the
nearer together the people and the Gov
eminent the better for each. But while
the Senate will be more directly related to
the people under the proposed system, it
must not for moment be supposed that
election direct will rid the process of vi
cious political influences. 1t will, how
ever greatly restrict their operations and
cripple their ability. for instead of man
aging Legislature in the interest of
candidate, bosses will be compelled to dis
tribute their efforts over an entire State
anG among all the people.
1t is questionable if the Senate will
agree to submit the new proposition to the
States. That body is jealous of its rights.
and clings with tenacity to the traditions
of its history In the House the debate
over the proposed amendment will excite
comparatively little attention, but should it
reach the Senate the discussion will be of
the profoundest interest. The proposition
ITSELF we believe, meets the general wish
OF the people, and in a Republic that
should always be the law of the land. and
it is indeed, sooner or later. The idea of
direct choice addresses itself strongly to
the good judgment of friends of free gov
eminent, and if not now adopted, we be-
lieve will bebefore the close of the century!t