The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-01-06
ELECTIVE SENATORS.
THE CALL has received the following let
sr from Senator, Mitchell of Oregon:
UNITED STATES SENATE

UNITED STATES SENATE,
WASHINGTON, D. C., Dec %, 1891.
To tis EIit0TS Qf The Morning CALL san
francisco Cql.-MY DEAR sIRs: have just
been rcadug your editorial on the subject,
.ss f eeilve Senator's which appeared In your
is-u. Of December 1SEh in which L notice you
take some or US myself among the number, 10
tasa somewhat for being rather too theoretical
ANA not practical enough in our attitude toward
lie uiupOs constitutional amendment proYld-
5r, faf The election Of United states Senators by
.drect vote Of the qualified electors Of the
safe You are quite right IN your statement
t.atiga pigeonhole OF some committee Of The
Senate " q bll" OF rather, you should have said,
" proposed amendment TO The Constitution,
4aY Ctng for the election Of Senator'S by the peO-
p.e." mas long sumbered; and then you Inquire:
Why does not Mr. Mitchell. or MI Teller, or
sor-e other adYocata- Of the plan, call it up?' A
very proper Inquiry I admit; but word OF eX-
llauali0u, which ] trust l may be permitted 10
premise with The statement that 1 was never
NOR In earnest 10 my life IN the advocacy Of any
proposition than / am and have been 10 refer
eHce o this proposed constitutional amendment
Tie proposed amendment you refer 10 Is haF-
ing been VieeOnhOied was introduced by me ID
tie Senate on the It'll day Of March, 1890. at
Tie first session OF the last Congress copy In
cosed1. When ! introduced il l asked that II
might lie on he table as ! desired TO submit
some marks IN support OF ii before L was re-
f-rled o the appropriate committee. This was
done on lie 22d day of APRIL 1890 "a copy Of
which Iemarks ! herewith inclose 10 youA when,
on my motion, the proposed amendment was re-
ierred 10 the Committee on Privileges and Flee
lions OF the Seuate-the appropriate committee.
Az that time 1 had not the honor OF beiuga mem
Der u that committee, and consequently could
do no more than did, namely, ca nestly appeal
20 each Individual member Of that committee
for "a report, that the matter might De fought out
- in
however I failed. and the proposed amendment
was Kept in pigeonhOle OF the Committee on
Privileges and Elections until the end of the
last Congress- when, OF course. the whole thing
fell to The ground. AT the present session
again, Oh 40 10th day OF December, relntro-
duced ms proposed amendment copy inclosed),
which was, on my motion, referred at one to
Tie Committee on Privileges ana Elections /
have now the honor TO be member Of that COM
mitee. and Il is my intention, IN the very best
OF fath. TO secure n possible a favorable report
from that committee at the present session. II,
however, 1 am unable 10 procure q favorable
report sooner than no report at all / shall insist
Oh a report Of some kind, either without recon-
mendation or, II nothing better can b. obtained
Than Az adverse report, with the understanding
that each member OF The committee shall have
tile privilege Of taking such course in reference
70 he matter as he might deem proper when
reached on the calendar 10 open Senate.
In this connection / hope l may be pardoned
for lie statement that l am as I believe, the
first and only person 10 either House OF Congress
WHo prior to the present session, has ever
0ieEed his mouth by way OF advocating the
adoption Of such measure. At tbs present
session Senator Turpie OF Indiana, also CD the
same day which 1 reiniTOdnced my amend
meui. introduced a similar amendment and sup
ported few days later by a very able and in
trresling speechi whereupon his proposed
amendment was also referred TO the Committee
on Privileges aud Elections.
Inay be permitted 10 say further that whereas
SIX wears ago / do not believe the proposition
could have received five votes in the Senate,
am DOW very strongly OF the impression that
there Is a very good prospect Of the proposition
receiving at least majority of the votes of That
body possibly twO-third. although OF course II
would REQUIRE a vote OF twOthirdS to pass il.
NAV be mistaken 10 this but l am quite hopeful
Of securing such a result 1 am not writing Tor
publication by any means, but father 10 correct
what fear is an erroneous impression upon the
part Of yourselves in reference TO my attitude in
regard TO The proposition, although have no
objection whatever tohave all / have said pub
lished If You desire 1t. 1 am, with great re-
spect, your Obedient servant,
JOHN H. MITCHELL.
This information contained in the above
letter is too valuable 10 be suppressed. The
public will note with interest the fidelity
with which the Senator from Oregon is
pressing the adoption of a reform as to
winch all intelligent citizens have long been
agreed. They will learn with surprise that
a majority of the Senate is rife for the
adoption of a constitutional amendment
comforting upon the people the right 10
choose Senators; and they will scrutinlze
closely the vote which Mr.. Mitchell says he
Is going 10 insist on, so as TO see where each
Senator stands on the question. They feel
that the abolition of the plan Of eleetlng
Senator'S by the Legislatures would remove
the most fruitful source of corruption In
the Western States. If it can be effected,
they will feel duly grateful to the Senator
TO whose efforts the reform is due.