The morning call., 1891-12-18
ELECTIVE SENATOR'S.

Senator Mitchell of Oregon has unbos-
omed himself to a reporter on the subject of
the election of United States Senators by
the people. There is nothing ia his argu-
ment which has not been said before; but
lis statement that Legislatures are con-
stantly bought, while no man ever bought
whole State, may be commended as appo-
site and terse. There can hardly be doubt
that if a popular vote could be taken ON the
question a large majority of the people
would be found in favor of abolishing the
present plan of election of Senators; but it
is not at all certain what view State Legis-
latures or the Senate itself would take of
the subject. And as the reform could not
be effected without their assent discussion
on the subject must be speculative until
their temper is known.
In the pgeonhole of some committee of
the Senate bill providing for the election
Of Senators by the people has long slum-
hered. Why does not Mr.. Mitchell, or Mr..
Teller, or some other advocate of the plan
call it up? The people want to see Sena-
tors place themselves On record on the
question. Some Senators are known to be
in favor of popularizing the body. for they
say so. But where do the silent members
Of the House of Lords stand9 II they are
opposed argument on the other side is
mere talk and nothing more. The mode of
election of the Senate can only be changed
by vote of both houses of Congress, and
subsequent ratification by the Legislatures
of three-fourths of the States. If this vote
and subsequent ratification cannot be had
it is time wasted to discourse upon theories
Of representation.
1t is far from certain that the reform
could command either at this present time
Quite considerable proportion of actual
Senators owe their election to the use of
coin or its equivalent in the shape of in
fuence. They could not have been elected
to seats in the Senate on their own merits
or their own popularity. OF this they are
as well aware as any one. They know that
they can only succeed themselves, as they
generally want to do, through the perpetual
ton OF the methods by which they were
originally chosen. 1t stands to reason,
therefore, that they will look askant at bill
which proposes to abolish those methods.
On the other side, Legislatures in many
States may be found reluctant to part with
one Of the most valuable perquisites of their
Office. When a Senatorial vacancy occurs
members Of the dominant party in this
State. it has been said. reckon that their
votes on that question are worth at any rate
thousand dollars apiece 1t is believed in
political circles that for that sum a rich man
may treat himself to an election as Senator
from any one of six new States. So long as
this is the case and no public sentiment
overwhelms such practices with infamy
there will be little chance of the Legisla-
lures voting their perquiste away. Mem
bers will take conservative view, and fall
back upon the grand old English doctrine
ia a bp oh
During the last campaign in this State
leading campaign speaker undertook to
canvass the State ON the issue of elective
Senators. His arguments did not COM
mand the attention they deserved, partly
because he seemed to have pre-empted the
Office he was talking about, and thus ex-
posed himself to the suspicion that he was
not quite impartial on the question. But it
was observed that he. like Senator Mitchell,
confined himself to the theoretical view of
the issue, and did not discuss the practical
question whether the much-desired reform
had any chance of being realized.
An ideal Senate would consist of tri led
public servants who had passed through
the grades of State Assemblymen, State
Senators and Congressman, and who. by
fidelity to their constituents and devotion to
sound principle, had won universal respect,
ana entitled themselves to the highest
bonors which a grateful commonwealth
could bestow. But when a politician begins
to aim at ideals he is lost. They belong to
doctrinaire philosophers. Our politicians
at present take men as they are. with their
narrow prejudices and their selfish aims:
they will not expect to win victories which
involve sacrifices of private interest for the
sake of public advantage.