Telegram-herald., 1890-07-24


sad Pse Jeale-sl - tie p1elle a2sSf~s-S
= commit TIE elects q Sea8ters - :
7ots u the people
Is szs Feescsioa upon either TIE
honesty o. eap4eiIy, q both 0i sns
Fot4ng class sf tns several St1tes- ~nlie
Is teaaeaey ~ soand tie sens1oalltles
q the voter ia deprising nm OF %
right IS q sovereign - vote tlrectly Tor
hls choice an4 Ebss n : measure sep~r-
ate the people from The choice u me
Legislature. and mar tbs harmony snd
unity Of feeling saich ought % exist
between the masses Of the people aud
their representatives whether Of the
House or senate. Is manifest 70 all
No system can 20 properly termed
free or republican - hich deprives the
Individual voter of eis right 10 east his
vote directly for the nan OF his choice,
whether Il be State o1icial. member
OF the Sational House Of Representa-
tiyes. Cnlted States Senator or Presi-
dent Thomas "a Benton once said:
The onlY eteetuAl mode Of preserv-
ing our Government from the eOrrup-
tiOns which have undermined the lib
election OF our Chief Magistrate TO those
who are the furthest removed from the
influence OF his patronage, that Is TO
the whole body of American citizens"
The same l. true as % the election Of
Senators In the case Of the President
the bribery OF patronage may reach the
eiect0r IN every State while 10 can not
reach the masses OF the voters So In
the case OF Senator. the corruptions
for Senatorial honors may, and some
times do reach and tend to control a
majority Of small body in a Legisls-
ture, while such = thing would be abso-
lutely impossible were the division left
20 the great mass OF the voters.
Another objection 30 the present sys-
tenn OF electing Senators IS that IL occu-
pies so much OF the time OF the State
Legislatures and distracts them from
the duties which properly belong to
such bodies. TO say nothing of the strife,
ill-feeling and contention that too often
follow necessarily In the wake OF such
contests, which are frequently carried
on for not only weeks. but months and
sometimes throughout the whole ses-
sion, to the great detriment of other i'm
portant public business
Yet another vital objection is that 1t
Is frequently the case in the selection OF
members OF State Legislature at a
time when such Legislature has as one
of its duties the election OF Senator
every other consideration is lost sight
of except the solitary one as to
how such members will vote on
the question OF the Senatorship
The question of the Legislative candi-
dates qualifications for the business OF
general legislation on the views he en-
tertains with reference TO the great ma
terial interests of the State-internal
improvements, assessments. taxation,
revenue, corporations, appropriations,
trusts, municipal affairs. salaries and
fees o, officers, civil and criminal code,
apportionment and other like important
subjects-are wholly lost sight of.
Still another and very important OBJ
lection TO the present system of elect
ing Senators is the fact that there Is
great unrest In the public mind on this
question. Popular opinion has taken
hold OF the subject and the demand for
o change is as pronounced as IL is i'm
perative. as earnest as it is general
among the great masses OF the people.
The belief in the public mind is rapidly
gaining that proper Difference Is not
given by the Senate OF the United
States to the demands and interests of
the people, and that this is largely due
10 the fact that Senators do not owe
their positions TO the people, who arc
permanent, but to the Legislatures,
which are transient 1t is quite imma-
terial whether this belief in the public
mind is well founded or otherwise. IL
exists. and there is. in my Judgment
but one means OF remedying it, and
that Is by q change in the mode OF
slecting Senators by which the quail
fed electors OF each State shall have
the right 70 vote directly for their
choice for Senator.
The movement OF the people In the
interest OF the people is stalwart and
universal in all lands. and in none moro
so than in the United States. and the
sooner this great fact Is recognized by
the representatives OF the people the
better. But not only so 1t is fact
that must be apparent 10 all that dur
ing recent years an impression, deep
seated and threatening, whether well
founded or otherwise, mas obtained in
the American mind and among the
masses OF tho American people to the
effect that the Senate OF the United
States has become sort OF aristocrstic
body. too far removed from the people.
beyond their reach aad with no espe-
cial interest in their welfare
Although the Senate should be. and
in fact really is, the most dignified as
well ss the most important legislative
body IN the world. the tendency In pub
lie journalism and in the popular mind
is 70 belittle its Importance and cast
the spirit OF oblOquy over and around It
and its members. That tho impression
which leads 20 all this is. to very
great extent at least not we'll founded.
all in their sober senses will agreo: yet
e Is a fact that it exists. all the same.
Therefo-e any movement that looks 20
the right Of tho people 70 Be heard d.
rectlv IN the election OF Senator'S can
not bat result benedcially TO all con-
cernea. Is viii bring the people and
the Senats into more amicable rels-
tlonS r. viii remove preju3ices now
oxistiar and which are rapidly becom-
Ing deeply fastened upon the public
mind
II VIII invoke a spirit Of mutual for
bssrance and respect "a between the
senate ard the people which unfortu-
natelT does not now exist 20 that de-
gree tha- "a desirahla It viii restore