The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1892-02-19
SENATOR PALMER MAKES A SPEECH.
In Opposition to the Appropriation for
the Lower Columbia.
NOT OF GENERAL ruBLIo BENEFIT.
No Military Post for AIaska---A
Good Man Goes Wrong
=" Gossip. -

WAsHINGToN, Feb. 1S.-In his remarks
upon the bill providing for an amend
ment to the constitution permitting the
election of United States senator's by
popular vote, Senator Palmer said: eff
this amendment is adopted, the senate
of the United States will be chosen by
the direct vote OF the free people of the
several states, and it will be what it
never has yet been-the popular branch
of the congress of the United States,'
and his arraignment of the upper house
of congress as non-popular body, was,
in his language, rot often heard by the
venerable members of that dignifed
assembly. The senator insisted the
constitutional mode of electing senators
by the legislators of the states was no
longer satisfactory to the American peo-
pie. He did not mean to make himself
responsible for the charges of bribery
and undue influence that attend nearly
every senatorial election by indorsing or
repeating any of them. He referred to
them in-that slight manner only to en-
phasize the statement that the people no
longer confided in, but were profoundly
distrustful of the methods of electing
senators 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 de-
partment and senate now existed. Ex-
perience had long ago demonstrated the
usefulness of electors for the selection of
a president and vice-president. All
that people could gain by the proposed
amendment would be enlarged powers
of self-defense. The senators would be
the free and exact representatives of the
people, and defend their homes and
property from unequal and excessive
burdens. They would dignity the states,
for the people were the states. The
elections for the choice of presidential
electors, the election of members of the
legislature who elect senators, the cleo
tion OF members of the house of repre-
sentatiyes IN congress, are alike infu
enced and often controlled by an unfair
arrangement of districts.
ACTION BY THE COMMITTEE.
Senator Mitchell, OF Oregon, said he
listened with pleasure to the able re-
marks of the senator from Illinois. He
| (Mitchell) had had the honor of intro
ducing similar proposition in 1888 and
one at the present session. Similar
amendments were also introduced by
| the senators from Indiana and New
Hampshire (Turpie and Chandler). All
these propositions were referred to the
committee on privileges and elections,
and by that committee to a subcommit-
tee composed OF Senotors Chandler,
Turpie and himself, and he was quail
! fed to be able to state, after consulta-
ton with the majority, that the subcom-
/ mittee had agreed to report in favor of
such an amendment to the constitution.
1t was their hope and belief that at a
very early day the full committee on
privileges and elections would be able to
report favorably an amendment similar
to the one introduced by the senator
from Illinois. The subcommittee held a
session later in the day, and agreed to
the report prepared by Mr.. Mitchell,
favoring the amendment. 1t will be
submitted to the full committee early
next week. The report is elaborate,
covering ten pages in printed matter.
1t is not known definitely whether the
majority of the full committee will be
favorable to the report or otherwise.
Senator Teller, chairman of the COM
mittee. is known to be strongly in favor
of the amendment.