St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-02-19
GEN. PALMER'S PLEA.
The Illinois Senator Talks
Like a Dutch Uncle to
His Colleagues.
Anticipated Courtesy" and
Traditional Decorum Ig-
nored In His Speech.
Present Methods Of Electing
Senator'S Have Failed Of
Best Results.
A Choice by Direct Vote Ger
tain to Popularize the
Upper House.

Upper House.
WASHINGTON, Feb. Is. - "If the
amendment to the constitution which |
propose Is adopted the members of the
senate of the United States will be
chosen by the direct vote of the free
people of the several states, and the
senate will be, what it never yet has
been, the popular branch of the con-
gress of the United States"
These were the words of Senator
Palmer. of Illinois, in his speech in the
senate today urging the election of
United States senators by popular vote,
and his arrangement of the upper house
of congress as anon-popular body was in
language not often heard by the venera-
BILE members of that dignified assembly.
That this language, too, should have
been used in the maiden speech of
new senator was not in keeping with
the usual decorum and traditions of that
august body, but as Senator Palmer
fought his way to seat in the upper
house by the advocacy of the principle
of popular election of senators, and IN
deed to some degree as an opponent of
some of the restrictions involved in
senatorial courtesy" he probably does
not feel constrained to observe with
reverence all the
Barriers of Tradition.
The resolution presented by Senator
Palmer and which is now pending in
the senate provides for the formal sub
mission of a constitutional amendment
requiring United States senators to be
elected by direct vote of the people of
the various states, instead of by the
state legislatures, assat present. Due
notice Of his intention to address the
senate today having been previously
given, the galleries were we'll filed. and
many members of the house were pres
ent to hear the Illinois Democratic SEN
ator advocate the great political princi-
pie of which he has so long been the
representative in the West.
Senator Palmer opened his speech by
saying that i'll urging this constitutional
amendment he only obeyed the instruc-
tons given him In the most impressive
Illinois. 1.-The people of Illinois," said
he. ''are loyal to the constitution, and are
devoted to the principles of orderly. con-
stltutlonal. free government. but they
believe that the election of senators by
their state legislature under existing
conditions has failed of satisfactory re-
suits. and that the reform proposed by
the JOINT resolution now before the sem
ate is demanded alike by
Correct Principles
and the highest considerations of pub
lie policy" The senator reviewed
briefly the great Douglass and Lincoln
senatorial contest in Illinois, and then
detailed the successive steps and decla-
| rations that had been made by the DEM
| Ocracy of Illinois In regard to this sub
| ject, and which had finally led to Dem
| ocratic triumph in that state, and the
election of the representatives of tina
| principle to the United States senate.
upon the issues rendered by the
platform adopted by the state conven-
| t1on,'' said he. ''101 members of the state
legislature GOA being the whole number)
| were elected by an aggregate plurality
| OF more than 10000 votes. These 'One
hundred and one members of the legis-
lature, regarding themselves as electors
chosen to register the will of their con-
| stituents. between the 21st day of JAN
uary, 1891, and the 18th of March, voted
| for the candidate nominated on 153 bal
lots and on the 154th ballot they were
| joined by two members of the house of
representatives who were favorable to
| the election Of senators by the direct
| vote of the people of the several states
| and on that ballot a senator was elect
ed" The
s'TWO Members,
alluded to were Representatives Moore
and Cockrell. OF the Farmers Mutual
Benefit association. The senator in
sisted that the constitutional mode
of electing senators by the legis-
latures of the states was no
| longer satisfactory to the Amer
| lean people. He did not mean to make
himself responsible for the charges of
| bribery and undue influence that at
tended nearly every senatorial election
| by indorSing or repeating any of them.
He referred to them in that slight man
ner only to emphasize 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 control of the eXecu-
| tive department and of the senate now
existed. Experience had long ago DEM
| onstrated the uselessness of electors for
the selection of president and vice pres
| ident. They were but the John Does
and Richard Roes of the political sys-
TEN. If the amendment to the constitu-
ton which he proposed should be adopt
| ed. senators could be chosen by the di-
rect vote of the free people of the sew
| erai states, and the senate would be
What 1t Never Had Been.
the popular branch of congress. The
wealth invested in commerce, in manu-
| features, in railways, forests and mines,
demanded legislation for its protection
or its benefit; and Its political power,
whether employed in congress or the
state legislature, rarely tailed of sue
cess. Organized as it was, it was so re-
lated that it could direct its influence 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 On the
| government.
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 property from I'M
| equal and excessive burdens. They
would dignity the states-for the
| people were the states. 1.-THE elections
| for the choice of presidential electors;
| the election of members of the legisla-
| ture, who elect senator's; the election
| for members of the house of representa-
| tives in congress-" said the senator, "are
alike influenced and often controlled by
the unfair arrangement of districts"
Favorable Report Likely.
| Sanator AIitnl,olI nf A.ac-l,..