The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-04-22
The Election OF Senators.

Inc ELECTION OF senators.
1t is expected that Senator Mitchell, of
Oregon, will address the Senate to-day on
his proposition to amend the constitution so
as to provide for the election of senator's by
the people. For several years there has
been a steadily growing sentiment through
out the country in favor Of such an amend
ment, but it is doubtful if the people are yet
prepared to say whether they want 1t or not.
1t is a matter that has not been discusse d
yet to any great extent, but now that it is
being brought into prominence it is proba-
bic that it will be.
There is considerable dissatisfaction with
the Senate, the idea being that the senators
do not feel their responsibility TO the people
as they should. The impression is that not
have very great regard for the wishes of
the people, and, hence, do not respond
promptly to public sentiment. This i'm
preston may be to some extent correct,
though it is noticeable that the Senate rarely
differs with the House upon a reform for
which there is a widespread demand.
There is another idea that has found
Judgment in the public mind that is
prejudicial to the Senate. 1t is that that
body is largely composed of millionaires,
and that they secured their seats by pur-
chase. 1t is true that quite a number of
the senators are very rich, and some of
them may have used their wealth to crafty
their ambition for political honors, but, as
a matter of fact, there are more poor, than
rich, senator's Nearly all the southern
senator's are poor. and there are only a few
of the rich senators TO whom the suspicion
of having bought their election attaches.
But it will hardly be denied that the
number of rich men in the Senate is grad
ually increasing A man who has accumu-
lated vast fortune in trade, or in specu
lative enterprises, naturally wants to bring
himself into greater prominence than the
simple possession of wealth gives him, and
not few rich men therefore seek the honor
able position of senator. They would have
much more difficulty in gaining that posi-
ton if they had TO depend directly upon
the people for 1t than under the present
method Of choosing senator's.
State senators are elected by the people,
and the question is asked, why should not
United States senator's bel 1t is true that
United States senator's have certain duties
TO perform which are different from those
performed by either state senators or repre-.
sentatives in congress, but there is nothing
in their duties that makes it necessary that
senator's should be elected by state legisia-
lures.
The tendency Of the times is toward a closer
relation between the people and those who
make and execute the laws. There is a
growing sentiment in favor Of electing the
President and Vice President by a direct
vote of the people, and it is not at all i'm
probable that a strong effort will be
made in the near future to abolish the
electoral college Even in Canada the
democratic idea that the people are the
source of all political power is cropping out
Not long ago at Ottawa a senator an
nounced that he would soon offer an amend
ment to the British North American act,
providing for the election of senator's by
provincial legislatures. They are now, as a
general thing, nominated by the governor
general. Although in Canada the effort is
to gain the position already occupied in
this country in the matter OF choosing SEN
ators, the movement in both countries is in
the same direction.
The chances are that Senator Mitchell's
proposition will not meet with great deal
of favor in the Senate. The senator's pre-.
fer, doubtless, to depend upon the legisla-
ture rather than upon the people for re-
election, but they would have to yield to
public sentiment should it be against them.
1t may require several years of agitation,
however, before the public mind will be
made up with respect to Senator Mitchell's
proposition.