The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-12-19
sEATTLE, SATURDAY, DEC. 10.
ELECTION OF SENATORS By THE
PEOPLE.

United States Senator Turpie, Of In
diana, supported on Thursday joint res
olution proposing an amendment 70 the
constitution providing for the election Of
United States senators by direct vote OF
the people Of the several states. Senator
Mitchell, Of Oregon, last year addressed
the Senate in favor Of the same amend
ment This so-calied proposition for re-
form has been taken bodily from the plat
forms Of the Farmers Alliances, and IS
probably advocated by certain politicians
from vulgar fear OF these crank-ridden agri-
cultural organizations. In order to clearly
understand the difference between the
United States Senate as it is and as it
would be If sucn a constitutional amend
rnent should ever be ratihed by the states,
it is worth while 10 recite the Senate's
history. At the organization Of the Sen
ate in 1889 its members were divided by lot
into three classes. The seats Of senators
Of the first. second and third classes were
vacated at the end Of the second, fourth
and sixth years respectively, so that one
third might be chosen every second year.
This classification ma. been preserved. and
thus of the present membership the seats
OF twenty-eight senators were vacated in
is9l, overweight viii be vacated in 1898
and twenty-e ght N 1885. the terms ending
at noon on March 4. II vacancies occur
during the recess Of the legislature Of
state by death, resignation or expulsion,
then the governor appoints for the inter
val. Congress mas power 10 make or alter
the regulations for choosing senator's, but
can not change the place prescribed by the
state.
In July, 1866, congress passed an &C: to
regulate senatorial elections. Under this act
each house Of the legislature Is required to
vote viva voce On the second Tuesday
after the organization. On the next day
the two houses are 10 meet jointly. Should
it then appear tha: the ss-as persoa has
received a majority in ezcn house. this
fac. is stated, and he il elected Other
wise the joint meeting must take a. isAs.
one viva voce vote each day while the
legislature remains in session, Until some
person receives q majority Of all the votes,
quorum of each house being present.
Should q vacancy occur while the legisa-
ture is in session the same course OF pro-
cedure begins on the second Tuesday after
notice Of vacancy lie received. No person
can be a senator who has no: reached the
age OF 30 years and been nine years citi-
zen OF the United States. He must also
be, when elected. an inhabitant OF the
state for which he has been chosen.
The Senate represents the states in their
corporate capacity as distinguished from
the nation. whose powers are expressed in
the House Of Representatives
Wealth cannc: be justly said 10 be
condition precedent to admission TO the
United States Senate, for many Of its
members are dependent upon their salary
wholly for their support. There is no rea-
son for supposing that electing the United
States Senate by popular vote would result
more satisfactorily than at present. The
people, under the present system. elect the
legislature that chooses the United States
senators. If the people canno. be trusted
10 elect a legislature by direct vote that
represents their wishes, can they he e1-
pected 10 make any better choice by a
direct vote for senators? The method
proposed by Senator'S Mitchell and Turpie
would put the nomination of United
States senators in the hands Of political
conventions whose delegates do not repre-
sent the people any more faithfully than
members Of the legislature.