Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1892-02-25
ELECTION OF SENATORS.

oSc-Stu6NCE Halmer SPEAKS A0NoCaTy
of Ex-senator MitchelI's yIews-Eu1ogles
on Senator Plumb.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 19.-"H the
amendment to the constitution which
propose is adopted the members of the
senate of the United States would be
chosen, by the direct vote of the free
people Of the several states and it viii
be what it never yet has been. the pop
ular branch of the congress of the
United States" said Mr. Palmer, of
Illinois. in the senate yesterday in urg-
ing the election of United States sem
ators by popular vote
The senator insisted that the con-
stitutional mode of electing senators By
the legislatures of the states was no
longer satisfactory to the American
people None Of the reasons which led
the trainers of the constitution to de-
prive the people OF the direct control
of the executive department and of the
senate now existed Experience had
long ago demonstrated the uselessness
OF electors for the election of president
and president If the amendment
to the constitution before proposed
shou' be adopted senators could be
chosen by the direct vote OF the free
people of the several states and the
senate would be what it never had
been-the popular branch OF congress.
The wealth invested in commerce., in
manufacturing, in railways. forests
and mines, demanded legislation for its
protection or its benefit and the politi-
cal power, whether employed in con-
gress or the state legislature, rarely
failed of success Organized as it was
It was SO related that it could direct its
influence to the attainment OF any de-
sirable end.
"AlI that the people could gain by
the proposed amendment would be the
enlarged powers of self-defense- SEN
ators would be the true and exact rep
resentativeS of the people and would
defend their homes and property from
unequal and excessive burdens They
would dignity the states ter the people
were the states The elections for the
choice of presidential electors, the cleo
lions for the members of the legisla-
ture, who are the senators, the cleo
lions for members of the house of
repreSen tativeS in congress. are alike
Influenced and often controlled by the
unfa lr arrangement of districts If the
amendment to the constitution which
propose is adopted the mem ers of the
senate viii be chosen by the direct
vote Of the free people OF the several
states, and will be what it never yet
has been, the popular branch. of the
congress of the United States"
Senator Mitchell said that he had
listened with pleasure 10 the very able
remarks of the senator from Illinois
BE (AIr. MitchelD had the honor of in
Producing a similar proposition in 1855
and one at the present session. SINH
lar amendments had also been intro
duced by the senators from Indiana and
New Hampshire. All these PROPOSE
tions had been referred to the com NIT
tee on privileges and elections and by
that committee to a subcommittee
composed OF Senators Chandler, Turpie
and himself aud he was gratified in be-
ing able to state that after consulta-
ton the subcommittee had agreed to
report in favor of such an amendment
to the constitution. The subject then
went over.
EULOGIES OF SENATOR PLUMB.
Mr.. PETER offered resolutions on the
death of Senator Plum b. OF Kansas, and
then delivered an eulogy on the de-
ceased He spoke of him as one of
those grand characters that stand out
among their fellows like peaks in
mountain ranges Beginning. he said,
as a poor boy, Mr.. Plumb had been
editor at 10 years of age, a captain of
militia at 90, member of n constit1-
tfonal convention at D. lawyer at %.
Lieutenant, captain, MAJ or and colonel
of volunteers at %, United States sem
ator at 40 Surely there was a lesson
in such a life, viewed in its own robust
personality with no embellishments
beyond the simple truth. Among all
the tireless workers that had accom-
plished the wonderful work of making
Kansas. such 4 great and prosperous
state, none had been more active and
persistent, none more respected, none
more loyal than Mr.. Plumb His am
bition had been to do rather than to
be. He was clear in view, firm in
opinion, direct in thought, voluble in
speech and courageous in expression
NJ. Cockre1 paid his tribute to the
dead senator and spoke of him as one
whose life read like romance and
who has discharged his laborious duties
in the senate with credit and honor to
the state of Kansas and to himself.
Mr.. Perkins said that the senate was
not engaged in an unmeaning cere-
mony. A great statesman, a wise legis-
lator, a devoted friend, an eminent and
patriotic citizen, was dead and now
slept in peace and honor in the bosom
of the state he had loved SO we'll The
brilliant and distinguished services OF
Mr.. Plumb in the senate were a part of
the history of the republic. In his
opinion Mr.. Plumb did more work than
any man in congress He (Mr Perkins)
had known many business men and
public men but had never known one
who could look after so many interests
and give his attention to SO many cares
at once without neglecting any.
Wolves Near Buffalo, y. ".
BUFFALO, n. Y, Feb 19-Fifteen or
twenty wolves have made their ap-
pearance in West Seneca, a suburb
of Buffalo, and women aud children
are afraid to go out of doors They
appear in the village at night and
escape to the woods about mile away.
Several of the old hunters are follow.
ing the trail well armed