Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1892-01-22
UNITED STATES SENATE RrrORd.

REFORM in the method Of eleoting
United States Senators IL assuming
The proportions Of n national demand.
Already In the present Congress sovc.
raj Joint resolutions have been offered
In both houses urging the election Of
Senators by direct popular vote. Both
parties seem equally DESTROYS Of adopt
ing the now scheme. Palmer Of III.
noisi Democrat, Is no more earnest In
the movement than Johnslo Of North
Dakota, a Republican.
Section Q Of tho Consultation Of the
United States says:
"rho Senate Of tho United States shah
be composed OF two senators from zach
state, cho.en by the Legislature thereof
for xix years; and each senator shall
have one vote"
This provision governs the method
now In practice. The proposed amend
ment would take from the state iegis.
isiuro the power Of sl,cting United
States Senators aud confer II ON the
people directly.
Even ut the time Of the adoption Of
the Federal Constitution this question
was earnestly, aud, Ia truth, bitterly
discussed. However, the present
method was agreed on as sort OF com.
promise. James Madison, writing In
the ftderaiai, away back in l5ss,
said;
at Is equally unnecessary 70 dilita on
the appointment OF Senators by the state
Legislatures. Among tho various modes
which might have boon dcyl n ed for con-
shutting this branch uf tho government,
that which has boon propos ed by the con.
vcntion Is probably tho most congcnIal
with public opinion. lt Is recon- mended
by the double advantage % Ayoring a
solec, appointment aud OF giving to the
Sta . governments such an agency In the
formation oi tho Federal q government rs
must secure tho authority of tho former
aud may form c1nvcn lent linl, between
the two sys,em4"
At that time the opinion prevailed
among some prominent IA EN- that "a
pure democracy would DO the beat form
Of government. Therefore they dc.
sired all appointments aud elections to
come from the direct vote OF the people.
On the other hand, equally influential
men wanted some restraints Oh the
popular will, some kind Of balance
wheel as II were, ~ that neither the
people nor the chief ma gls,rate would
be entirely absolute. but the extreme
wing Of this party favored schemes
antagonistlc TO republican or demo.
cratic government. Finally com.
promise was Effected, and the interests
Of the people, the State and the ma.
tional government sub-etved. The
election by state legislatures, as Madl.
son says, fully met tho public opinion
OF tho time, and was the plan adopted.
Public opinion today may be some.
what different, aud the ma sses may
sec no necessity for rec ognizing the
organic individuality OF the States,
FOR II IL evident that during the past
few years the demand for electing
Senators by popular vote has been
growing. Charges Of corruption and
venallty nre boiug con stantly made
against State legislature. II Is said
that they are In many cases controlled
by corporations and other improper
influences. Ia 1890 In Illinois this
question entered larg ely into State
politics. This Democratic convention
Of that state endorsed Go N. Palmer Tor
Senator, all this county, district anu
municipal conventions did the same.
The result was that all c andidates for
both branches OF the Assembly pledged
themselves In the ove mt Of election 10
vote for Gen. Palmer as Senator from
Illinois. THIS came as near to q choice
by direct popular vo to NJ could be pos
slble under the present system.
Representative Miller OF Wisconsin,
before the House comm ittee on tho
election OF President, vi ce.Fresident,
ETC., n fow days ago, urged Joint roso-
luton In favor OF 90 Institutional
amendment more sweeping than that
proposed for u direct popular vote. He
would give Senator to each State
primarily aud an al ditional Senator
for each million OF Inhabitants, all to
be selected directly by the people.