Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-01-19
The popular election of Presidents and sena-

The popular election of Presidents and Sena-
tors Is an idea as old as the present form of
government. II is one of those historical ideas
that will not down at the bidding, because il is
distinctly American and democratic. For q
long while after the Constitution went into
operation old British and aristocratlc ideas
prevailed here. II was hard to trust the peo-
pies wisdom even when their general virtue
was admitted The sons of men who hedged
about our government with safeguards against
popular passion inherited their fathers narrow
fears and jealousies. 1t was not indeed. until
our own spacious times that mems minds
we're freed from distrust of themselves and that
morbid dread Of faction which marked the ear
lier periods. In all those days, from the federal
convention to the close of the late war. there
were not wanting clear heads and bold hearts
who knew that the people could be trusted
10 take care of the government Of their own
creation and prevent it from falling into
either discord or tyranny. Not all of the
jealousy Of those times was expended by
leaders on the masses but some of il at least
was entertained helpfully by thinking citizens
concerning the government itself in both state
and nation. IL it had not been there would
not today be everywhere in this great republic
the democratic liberty that is the bulwark Of
its defense and the admiration Of the world.
But this liberty needs always to be defined
anew and its borders enlarged. The time
has come for the full repatriation Of
the peoples government. A cumbersome
machinery, outworn and wrested from its
ancient uses no longer intelligently avails
for the election of the President and
Vice President. Electors in the theory of
Judge Wilson ard others, were to deliberate
before acting-they were to choose the execu-
tive and the possible executive. Since the very
beginning they have simply ratified the choice
of tn party succeeding at the general election.
The party's choice is not ascertained however
directly and in a satisfactory manner but in u
roundabout and wholly unsatisfactory way.
The minority vote in any state is not repre-
scented at all, as il should be. The machinery
is so complicated that several times it has
brought the country to the verge of actual
physical conflict Law after law has been en-
acted to lessen the friction in counting the vote
and the Constitution itself has been amended
in consequence Of the utter breakdown of the
original idea of election which was based on
the elevation of the second candidate to the
Vice Presidency.
As to the popular election OF Senators there
is more objection, to a large extent ll-founded.
The Senators are, in contemplation of the
fathers, representatives Of states, and the mis-
take is in supposins that they would not repre-
sent states unless chosen by the legislature.
Glimpses Of the fact that the people in their
voting capacity may be the state well as their
representatives in the legislature are seen in
the debates of the time. but there Is evidence
that the trainers of the plan of government
ratified by the people were mostly Of
the opinion that the people were not
the state in the choice Of individual
Senator's Time has proved that the
original fear that the people at large would
not know as well as the legislature the qualif- |
cations of United States Senator and be free
enough from local prejudice to select the best
man Was not well grounded So far as may be
judged from limited experience the people at
large are not more easily imposed on than their
representative and it is quite certain that they
are less corruptible.