The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-03-07

$United States Senator David B. Hill, IN
E;s recent speech At the Jenkins banquet
= New York city, supported the move
,Ssnt for the election of United States
senators by the people. He said:
Election BY popular vote brings each senator
end the senate itself into closer relations with
sas people. 1t will avoid the disgraceful scan
3ais which have 90 frequently accompanied the
Election OF senators By legislatures 1t will
sssvent the unfortunate deadlocks which wo
lave been witnessing for weeks in our Western
Legislatures. Il will enable the peoples prefer.
sacss to PREVAIL, rather than b. thwarted q 10
600 frequently the case under the present sys-
Stem. Is will lessen the chances Of corruption.
-: viii enable states like Connecticut, Kansas.
colorado and Others 20 b always represented
Sby senators holding views In harmony with the
! political sentiments OF the people Of such
! states. Il win diminish the temptation for un-
: - able. patriotic and crsditable representatives
- 10 possible under the present or any other
: method Of selection.
In 1875 the state Of Nebraska incorpor.
ated in its constitution provision allow
ing electors. while voting for members Of
the Legislature. to ''express by ballot their
preference for some person for the Office Of
United States senator" In 1881 a 1oint
resolution was introduced in congress for
an amendment to the Federal constitution
removing the power to choose senators
from the legislatures and providing for
their election by popular vote. In 1890 the
Democrats Of Illinois, at their state con-
vention. nominated Gen. John NJ. Palmer
as their candidate for United States sem
ator. and put a plank in their platform
declaring in favor OF tho election of
United States senators by direct
vote Of tho people" They made
their campaign with Gen. Palmer on
the stump in advocacy of his own election,
and he was subsequently chosen by tho
Legislature. In the election of November,
1891. the voters of California were invited
by the legislature to give at the polls an
expression of their opinion upon the ques-
ton of electing senators by popular vote,
and they responded by verdict Of twelve
10 one in favor of the proposition.
The house Of representatives of the last
pngress passed without dissenting vote
joint resolution for an amendment to
sc constitution providing for the popular
aoction of senators. The Illinois Demo.
rats have set the example by introducing
ne custom of nominating candidates BY
Jtate conventions
A writer in the current number OF the
Century recites these facts and says:
The character of the senate has BEEN deter
iorssing steadily for many years, until IL has be.
come too much ike "a rich man's club" with a
sprinklIDg OF political bosses among It's mem.
bsrship Instead OF being the superior Of the
house intellectually. and a bulvask o, conser-
va.ism and wisdom against hasty, il-consid.
cred and ignorant legislation, the contrary ia
more often the case. IL has happened manv
times In recent years that the house has acted
As the hulwark against assaults ths, the sonata
has made upon the national stability and wal
fare.