Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1891-02-21
ELECTION or SENATOR'S.

INTO tIfc Legislature auuTesscu 10
Congress praying that a consiitu-
tional amendment be submitted TO
the various States the object Of
which shall be to change the method
Of selecting United States Senators
so that they may be elected directly
by the people instead of their rep
resentatives. Idaho is not in the
lead in this matter, as the same re-
quest has been previously made by
the legislatures Of other States.
For more than twenty years past
the people have been much dissatis-
fled with the present system Of elect
ing Senators insomuch that there is
no inconsiderable number who
would abolish the Senate entirely.
This dissatisfaction has for the most
part had its origin in the general
belief that seats have too often been
purchased or obtained by fraud.
The evidence of this has been so
patent as to be uncontradicted and
though not supported by legal evil
dence is true beyond any reasonable
doubt.
The Senate has been called body
of millionaire and corporation at
torneys who had no sympathy in
common with the masses of the
people, and it has frequently been
asserted that they were stumbling
block in the way of all needed legis-
lation favorable to the working
classes and especially the farmers.
Even were the allegations against
the body false it is enough that the
people believe them to be true and
that the present state of affairs ere
ates dissatisfaction TO induce a
change, for it is always best to con
ciliate the masses rather than they
should have no love or respect for
the law making power.
The present system of electing
United States Senators is one Of the
Hamiltonian ear marks upon the
constitution. The Senate was cop
led after the English House of
Lords and Mr.. Hamilton was de-
sirous of removing it as far from
the people as possible. He was the
founder Of the old Federal party
which was the parent Of the Wings
and the grandfs her of the Repub-
leans. lie was member Of the
constitutional convention, n West
Indian by birth al d remarkable
alike for his talents and licentious-
ness. The manner of choosing the
Chief Executive Of the Nation was
through his instrumcntality as far
removed from the people as Is now
the selection of senators, but has
since been changed by constitutional
amendment. The heads of a speech
delivered by him in the convention
that framed the constitution ran as
follows: THE people are turbulent
and changing They need a
check" THAT check is mon
arch" Happily majority of the
members Of the convention were not
imbued with the gentleman's hab-
its of thought, else the govern nent
would have started out rs an oil
garchy. Even as it was, this man
left his imprint upon the constitu-
ton in many ways. For more than
fifty years it was considered danger
Gus to entrust the people with the
election Of judges or with the priv
ilege Of voting directly for presi-
Dental electors. The nominations
even for President by the respective
palties were made by members OF
Congress instead of delegates Sc
lectcd by the people in convention.
If with the experience Of over a
century in running a republican
form Of government some lessons
have not been learned tie obtase-
ness of the minds Of the statesmen
of the present day will be esteemed
most remarkable Education has
become more common among the
masses, and though in political af-
fairs the average American is not
as well informed as might be wished
it is fur better that the government
should be of the many than the few
and no instance can be recalled Of
the abuse of the power retained by
the people or SO much Of it as was
compatible with the existence ST a
well regulated government. If cor
rupt practices have been in vogue