Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1892-01-28
BY POPULAR VOTE.

The Election. OF .. =. Senator Receives th<
Most Serious Confederation of Mon of Boil
Parties.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 16.-A popula,
movement for the election Of United
States senators by vote of the people
is destined to be one of the most i'm
portant subjects discussed by the Fifty
second congress. 1t seems likely to be
the one great subject of national inter.
est upon which party lines are not to be
drawn and from this fact the advocates
of the proposed reform derive great en-.
couregement of ultimate success While
it is probably true that of the
dozen joint resolutions on the subject
introduced in both houses or in the
course of preparation, most of the
authors are democrats. and yet several
of the most emphatic advocates of the
constitutional amendment are leading
republicans. Senator Palmer of Hi
nois, who has long stood as al exponent
OF this popular principle in the West
and who asclibes his election solely to
the favor with which the people of Hi.
nois received the theory, will take
charge of this reform movement in the
senate, while Representative Johnson,
republican representative from North
Dakota, will aggressively advocate the
constitutional amendment in the house
In Bryan Of Nebraska. Eoloe of Ten.
nessee, Springer OF Illinois and Miller
OF Wisconsin he will have warm CO.
operation; but to Representative John.
son will probably be conceded the leader
ship of the new movement, because Of
his oftrepeated assertions that to VIC
lation OF that principle was solely due
his defeat in the memorable senatorial
contest in the State Ct North Dakota
The house committee on the election
OF president, vice president and repre-
sentaiives in congress at it's meeting to-
day gave special attention to the various
propositions for constitutional amend
ment providing for the election OF
United States senators by direct vote OF
the people of the respective statss
The committee was addressed by Rap-
resentatives Miller of Wisconsin, Bryan
of Nebraska, Enloe of Tennessee and
johnson of North Dakota, all of whom
have propositions OF this kind pending
before the committee.
The joint resolution which Miller
urged proposes constitutional amend.
ment giving one United States senator
to each state primarily, and an addi-
tional senator for each million of inhab.
itants, all to be elected directly by the
people. OF course this would work a
very radical change in the composition
OF the Unite d States senate but Miller
contended that the smaller states had a
disproportionately large representation
in the senate, and that his scheme
would secure more equitable repre-
seDtat:o1. The other three speakers
directed their arguments generally to
the broad question Of the ACCESSIBILITY of
the election Ct senators by direct vot4
OF the people rather than by
present methods, and then more
specially to points in favor of the means
proposed by them to bring this about
They said the present method enabled
men to be elected to the senate who
could not be elected ty popular vote, and
who did not reflect the sentiments of
their people. Corporate influences, it
was urged, were potent faction in the
election of senators by the legislatures.
Attention was called to the frequency
of charges of corruption and bribery
made during and subsequent to the
election of United States senators.