Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-02-18
THE INDIAN MESSAGE


(Continsed from First Paae)
or otherwise the executive authority thereof
shall issue writs Of election to iall such vacan-
ctes.
AT any election for Senator the person re.
ceiving the highest number of votes shall be
held TO be duly elected
MR. PALaEn ADVOCATES TIE AMENDMENT.
Mr.. Palmer addressed the Senate in
advocacy OF the proposed amendment
He said that In introducing it and
calling the attention OF tho Senate
and of the country to the subject. he only
obeyed the instructions given to him in the
s1nost impressive manner by tho people OF
the state OF Illinois.
That people were loyal to tho Constitution
and were devoted to tho principles Of orderly,
constitutional, free government. But they be-
lioved that the election OF Senators by the state
legislatures had. under existing conditions.
failed OF satisfactory results. and that the pro-
posed reform WAS demanded alike by correct
principles and tho highest considerations Of
public policy.
Influenced by a knowledge Of that state of
public opinion, the state democratic committee
OF Illinois had in $780, in connection with
call for party convention, submitted to the
electors Of that party the propriety Of a
nomination by the convention Of eanai-
date for Senator. to be voted for by the
people at the next election. He was hero to-
day. Senator elected under that plan. The
election Oh Senator by popular vote, which
by common consent should control the legis-
lature, was not novel to the people Of Illinois,
for they were familiar with the liberty OF
the great contest OF 1885, when Lincoln and
Douglas were spontaneously chosen to repre-
sent opposing opinions on subjects which by
their gravity and Importance interested and
excited every intelligent voter i'll the state.
Tho constitutional mode of electing Senators
by the Legislatures Of the states VAS no longer
satisfactory to the American people. He did
not mean to make himself responsible for the
Charges of bribery and undue influence that
attended nearly every senatorial election by
indorsing or rope ating any Of them.
He referred to them in that slight manner
only to emphasixe the statement that the peo-
pie no longer coniided in. but wore profoundly
by the state legislatures None OF the reasons
which led the trainers of the Constitution to
deprive the people of the direct control Of the
executive department and Of the Senate now
existed.
Experience had long ago demonstrated the
President and Vice President. They were but
tho John Does and Richard Roes of the politi-
GAL system. II the amendment to the
Constitution which he proposed should DO
adopted Senators could be chosen by the
direct vote OF the free people Of the several
had been, the popular branch of Congress.
The wealth invested i'll commerce, in manu-
lectures, in railways forests and mines de-
msnded legislation for its protection or ITS
benefit, and its political power, whether
employed ia Congress or the state legislature,
rarely failed of SUCCESS Organized as il was,
1t was so related that it could direct its influ-
ence to the attainment Of any desirable end.
That property had now nothing to fear from
the aggressive action Of the people or
from their direct influence upon the gov
eminent. All that the people could gain by
the proposed amendment would be enlarged
powers OF self-defense; Senators would be the
true and exact representatives Of the people,
and would defend their homes and their prop
erty from unequal and excessive burdens.
They would dignity tho states-for the people
were the states.
They would recognize their responsibility to
the people and wond find their reward in the
approval OF their fellow-citiZcus whom they had
faithfully served. He had today Intended only
to presen. an outline of the Important subject.
he had sought to avoid all partisan illusions
and to avoid every expression which could JUS
thy the belief that there were other interests
Included III tie ATTEMPT tnan the interest Of the
people of the several states alone.
MR.. CHANDLER WANTS TO SAY SOMETHING.
Mr.. Chandler asked Mr.. Palmer if he had
any objection to allowing his resolution to lie
at later day submit some remarks
MIR. Palmer said that that would suit his
wish; and the join. resolution was accordingly
laid en- the table for the present
Mr.. MIrcHELLs REMARKS.
Mr.. Mitchell said tina. he had listened with
pleasure to the very able remarks Of
the Senator from Illinois. He lIr.
MitchelD had had the honor OF intro
ducing a similar proposition in 1888 and
one at the present session. Similar amend
monts had also been introduced by the
Senators from Indiana and New Hamp-
shire (Messrs. Turpie and Chandler. all
these propositions had been referred to
the COMMITTEES on privileges and elections, and
by that committee to a subcommittee COM
posed Of Senators Chandler. Turpie and
himself, and no was grstified in being
able to state that after consultation a ma
jority OF that subcommittee had agreed to re-
rort in favor Of such an amendment to the
Constitution.
1t was their hope and belief that at very
early day the full committee on privileges and
elections would be able to report favorably an
amendment similar i'll respects to the one in
trcduced by the Senator from Illinois.
Mr.. Chandler referred to the amendment in
troduced in the last Congress by 3lr. Mitchell
and to the elaborate speech then made by that
Senator. A similar amendment had been
introduced this session by Mr.. Turpie, who
hau also mhuo an able ana careful
speech on the subject. These two Senators
had now been followed by the Senator from
Illinois. He did not conceive that it
was exactly in order to under
take to state what had been done by
q subcommittee, but he conceived that there
was no particular harm in the statement made
by Mr. Mitchell.
MIR. Mitchell-Not a bit Mr. Chandler was
inclined, he said, to be little conservative on
the subject. There had been during the hun
dred years Of the Constitution no substantial
alteration Of that instrument
BLAND AND HARTER.