Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-01-23
UNITED STATES SENATORS.
Interesting Information brought Out
Through the Alliance Proposition.

ulTteby uN thf people 900 adoption uf
such n change Ia our system would ut
least have the good ellsct Of doing away
with the scsndala-altogrther too fro.
qucnt--of wealthy men purchasing their
seats in the upper house.
Tho main obstacle IN tho way Of such
a change 10 that it involves constitu.
ti0nal amendment, and there are few
things in our political lifo harder to
bring about than amendments 70 tho or.
ganic law. either state or national In
the cases Of state constitutions Il Ia no.
torious that people win go on indefinite
ly bearing real evils, rather than ADOPT
constitutional amendments which will
cure the evils. ANY proposition 10
change tho organic law eoems TO awaken
all the conservatism Ia peoples natures,
and great numbers will vote against any
proposition simply because they would
rathor endure the Ills thcy have than
run any rick Of opening the door to
"tinkcring with tho constitution"
/, may DO interesting TO say something
ns to how tho senate camc 90 have its
present form. There was no senate In
the continental congrc% There was
but one house. and each state had a
single vote in IT, The constitutional
convention Of 1857, following tho model
Of tho British government. then tho host
form known, was In favor Of two housoa,
but sorcly puzzled how to constitute an
upper house which would be different
from the lower ono and check upon It.
II was long while before the idea Of
senate was conceived. and II really grew
out Of the Jealousy Of the smaller stat,s
OF tho larger ones. But olovcn state.
took part In tho earlier proceedings Of
tho convention. Two of the four dele.
gates from New Hampshire came In
later. and no delegates were appointed by
Rhode Island. Tho "small statcs"- five IN
numbcr-wero Connecticut, New York,
New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland.
The "largc states" were Massachusetts,.
Pennsylvania. Virginia, North and Soup,
Carolina and Georgia.
Tho "mnall statcs" feared that they
would DO oyorslaughed by the largo ones,
aud no they hung out atubbornly for
equal voice In congress- Several Of tho
"plans' suggested did not contemplate
an upper house, but the Virginia plan.
which was eventually made the basis u
congress. did. 1t, however. gave no
name 10 tho upper house. but proposed
that It's members should be chosen by
tho house OF representatives out Of u
number OF persons nominated by tho
legislatures OF tho several states Three
ways In all wcro suggested TO constitute
.hc memberships
!. appointment by tho chief cxecu.
tive from nominations by tho lcgisla-
lures.
2. Election by tho people.
0. Election by tho legislatures
Alexander Hamilton urged ne an
amendment that tho members should DO
chosen by electors chosen by the people
OF the statcf, and that they should serve
during good behavior. pinekncy pro.
posed ten1 OF thrco years. Tho COM
mitteo OF tho whole digcsted these prop.
ositions, and reported In favor Of n
second branch" the members OF which,
were 10 bc elected by tho legislatures for
seven years. and 10 DO Ineligible 10 any
Office for year after the expiration u
their torn, and tho number was TO DO In
proportion TO tho population.
This was the shape ia which II ap.
pcan In tho frat draft ~ thu cohstitn.
ton. Juno 2i-25. 1881, the convention
adopted tho report Of tho committee,
except that tho term wha changed from
seven 70 six years. aud the ineligibility
clause was stricken out Tho conycn.
tion then entered upon n protractcd
struggle rs 10 tho representation OF each
state, md various propositions were
urged. One scheme gave Rhode Island
and Delaware each ono and Virginia
i've. with tho other states proportioncd
between those. DR.. Franklin proposed
that zach state have an equal representa-.
,ion. with a vote on money bills propor.
tomato TO It's share OF tho iaxes. Drla.
ware threatened 90 withdraw from tho
confederation " tho small state, were
not given an equal augmentation, aud
finally, after the debate had gone on for
six weeks, tho plan Of giving each state
two members was adopted, and the small
states concentrated their efforts upon
giving the second branch tho utmost
power and Importance. Aug. o the name
"aenato" was formally given tho "scc.
ond branch Sept. 0 tho Office Of vice
president was agreed upon, and ho wa,
made the presiding officer Of tho senate
In order 10 give him something 20 do.
The constitution was haally adopted
Sept. ~.
Tho Farmers Alliance platform con.
fines itself TO more demand for tho
election u senators by tho people, and
doca not specify how this Ia 10 be done.
Here "a opportunity for a wide diversity
vote Of "a state, as governor Is elected.
or shall each state be divided into two
senatorial districtsy Shall the present