The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1890-05-08
The Election OF Senators by the People,

lnutteIs anu pII'iIeseo su"iaateSu ~
the Constitution.
The Election OF Senators by the People.
Senator Mitchell, ofOregon, who is the
Of the resolution proposing an
amendment to the Constitution provid.
ing for the election Of United States
Senators by the qualified electors Of the
State, made a speech the other day in
advocacy Of his proposition, which, com.
ing from a Senator, is significant Of the
signs OF the times. 1t is probable that
the measure will not pass the Senate,
however, at least at this session, though
it might fare better had it been intro.
duced In the House, where the direct
representatives would have the first OPP
po,tunity 10 vote upon it. There is no
doubt that there is a growing sentiment
amongthc people OF the country infavor
Of some sort Of change.
The present mode OF electing Senators
has not, OF late years, been entirely sat
isiactory to the masses, and is accounta-
bic for much OF the prejudice hat ex-
lists against what is coming to be known
as "the American House OF Lords" In
the Convection which framed tho Con.
stitution this matter was discussed at
great length, and, surprising ms it may
be to the present generation, it is never.
theless Il fact that some OF the fathers
were vigorously opposed the election Of
the members OF the house by the people
and advocated the same method by
which Senators are chosen. Roger
Sherman declared that the peopleimmc-
diately should have as little to do rs
may be about the Government" How
long would the political life OF a public
man last who had the nerve to utter
such u sentiment in this day? James
Madison, James Wilson, Benjamin
franklin and others, whose sympathic,
were ever with the people, were oppos.
cd to these views and it was finally
through Frsnklin's efforts that q compro.
mise between the factions was effected,
which resulted in giving us our present
system. It was q compromise between
widely divergent views, the one being
in the language OF Mr.. Gerry, "a stride
towards monarchy,"-thc choosing OF
United States Senators by the President
and the other the right OF the people
to control.
In the speech referred to above Mr..
Mitchell made the point that, notwith-
standing the fact our Constitution is, as
a whole, worthy OF the men who framed
it, that it is unexcelled in the list Of
governmental charters Of ancient or
modern times, that it has stood the
tempests OF q century, &C., already if.
teen changes, oil well advised, have been
made in it, and each n is q step Of
captivating grandeur, by which the
sphere OF human rights is enlarged and
the spirit Of monarchy rebuked. The
election OF United States Senators by the
direct vote OF the people, he thinks,
will be the next step.
In pointing out the objections to the
present system, Mr.. Mitchell made some
very good suggestions and some that
will not, in common parlance, "hold
water" One OF the good one is that
the system is unrepublican and not dem.
ocratic because it carries with it the i'm.
plication that tho people, the qualified
voters OF a State, are for some reason
unfit for the full exercise OF the elective
franchise in the choice Of high Govern.
ment officials, except in q qualified and
largely restricted sense. 1t is in practi.
cal purpose and effect q declaration that
Tor some occult reason, whichisin no way
made manifest, it is unsafe and preiu.
dicial to the public interests to commit
the election OF Senators to a vote Of the
Another objection Mr.. Mitchell point.
cd out is the length OF time absorbed by
the Legislature Of a State in the election
a Senator, and not infrequently is it
the case that in the selection OF members
Of a State Legislature at a time when
such Legislature has rs one Of its duties
election OF q Senator every other
consideration is lost sight Of except the
one ms TO how such members
will vote on the question Of the Senator
ship. Will he vote for this man or that
man or against this one or the other one?
ire the principal questions asked; while
he question as to his qualifications for
he business Of general legislation, or the
'iews he cntertains with reference to the
,reat material interests CT the State-in.
ernal improvements, assessments, tax
'tion. revenue, corporations, appropri.
trusts, municipal affairs, salaries
ind fees OF officers, civil and criminal
ode, appsrtionment, and other like i'm.
'ortantsubjccts-are wholly lost sight OF.
Many other equally cogent reasons for
change were argued, and Mr.. Mitchell
losed with tho following strong sen.
ences: $q&
Who, Mr.. President, arc moro or better on.
tiled 10 speak for the State than the people OF
hat Slate, In their individual and collective
Ms qualified electors, and. II entitled 10
peak, then why not directly and for themselves.
nd not by proxy through their rcprcscptatiyes
II tho Stale Legislatures? I. Is respectfully sub.
niitcd. Mr.. President, that my man WHO as.
to q seat In the Senate Of the United States
Who Is unwilling to submit his clAims 10 do.
Of the majority Of the qualtiled electors Of :