The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-04-22
ELECTION or sEMATORO ~ TINE
PEOPLE.

Uniteo states 6enot0r hoAf made Q
notably able and eloquent argument last
week against the election Of senators by
direct vote Of the. people. The senate had
before 1t resolution passed by the house
submitting to the states an amendment to
the constitution providing that United
States senators b elected by direct vote Of
the people instead Of BY the legislatures
OF tho several states ~ at present Mr..
Hoar denies that the facts bear out the
charge that under the present system the
United States senate Of today shows any
sign Of deterioration compared with the
past. He holds that there has been vast
improvement In recent years in the morals
Of the senate, and in respect to habits of
sobriety. In higher average Of senatorial
courtesy and absence Of, the old time
brutal plantation" manners he IL doubt.
less connect. Fewer senator's are given to
gambling, incorporate drinking and licen-
tiousness than there were even twenty five
years ago. Senator Hoar further contends
that on the score Of general ability the
senate Of today IL at least the peer of the
old-time senate.
But Mr.. Hoar does not rest his argument
upon these statements; he iounds his main
argument against tho proposed change on
the plea that II upscts the whole constitu-
tional plan rs to the construction, char
acter and office of the senatorial body in
the Federal government. The founders of
the constitution distinctly sought when
they provided for the senate not to make
this branch of congress subject to political
change by every transient tidal wave Of
popular feeling, and 1t II therefore no
sound objection against the senate to say
that IL Is not Immediately responsive to
popular feeling; IL II were the trainers Of
tho constitution would have failed in their
object Mr.. Hoar thinks that the trainers
of the constitution behaved with ex,raordi.
nary wisdom and foresight when in their
construction Of the senate they erected
barrier against the sudden. inconsiderate
action Of popular majorities. Mr.. Hoar
holds that election by direct vote of the
people would transfer the seat of political
power in great states. now distributed
evenly over their territory, to the great
cities and masses Of population more than
the present system.
Mr.. Hoar argues that election by the
popular vote Is to impair the rights Of the
states to equality Of representation in the
senate. lie believes. too. that there would
be more election contests. more corruption
under the proposed system than under the
present, and he places great stress upon
the fact that under the new plan candi-
dates for senator. and practically the zen.
ators. would be named by party conven-
tons, unrsgulsted by and unknown to
Law. assembled for single day and with
cut responsibility. Hs prefers the party
caucus of legislative members 70 this TIRE
sponsihle party convention. To . plain
man IL does not seem that under the new
system We would get any better senate
,siatures elected by the people with . sen.
atorisl election pending are quite as likely
To send good material to the senate IS the
people who choose the legislatures would
II acting directly. When unworthy legis-
latures are chosen IL is either because the
indifferent TO the composition Of their
legislatures. SO dull 10 their own interests,
ssa, they suffer fools and knsyes TO Sc
cure an election. There is no remedy for
this condition save higher public SEN
'sment that acts on the conviction that
even as eternal vigilance is the price
OF liberty" 50 the votes OF good men At
the primaries and polls are necessary 20
keep the machinery of governments from
capture by bad or incompetent citizen.
The same popular indsfessntism or We