The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-05-20
ELECT SENATOR'S BY POPULAR VOTE.

In giving a reporter, a day or so back
his views on the bill that would probably
pass the House of Representatives during
the present session, Dir. Catchings' OF
Mississippi, mentioned the bill providing
that United States senators shall be
elected by direct vote of the people. Mr..
Catchings added:
This bill passed the House the last
session. but failed Of passage in the
Senate There is no doubt Of the validity
and Justice Of the demand Of the people
involved In such q law. but | doubt if
the Senate will ever be willing TO agree
10 such a law by which their tenure OF
office will be made more uncertain by the
changes IN the will of the people"
In our opinion. this change in the meth
cd of choosing United States senators
Is absolutely essential to the future safety
of the Republic. The practical working
of our institutions has totally disappoint-
ed the expectations Of the trainers OF
our Constitution in respect to this matter.
They never took into their view the
use which corrupt men would make OF
government patronage and money TO de-
bauch the elections OF the State Legisla-
lures TO secure thereby their own election
by these legislatures to the Senate. But
this Is so simple and so easy a thing that
we now find all the politics OF the whole
country tending more and more TO 1t as
the pivot upon which they all revolve.
The Senate is rapidly becoming no more
than body Of political bosses" who
trade their votes In that body for money
contributions TO their campaign funds
with which they dcbauch the elections of
the State Legislatures. In doing this
they debauch all the politics Of the State
and corrupt all Of her institutions from
their foundation upwards. Some measure
for avertng this baleful and dirty work
of the political boss" who corrupts with
money, must be found or all our insttu-
tons will gradually crumble and fall into
one mass Of confused rottenness. The
necessary measure is bringing senators
direct vote. We have undying faith in the
people, aided and enlightened by a free
and independent press. Their judgment is
always right when the facts are brought
out before them; and when senators are
chosen by their direct votes we shall
have men In that body whose personal
characters must be above suspicion in
the first place and who represent fairly
the average sentiment OF the State be
hind them, be II what 1t may.
Mr.. Catchlngs is right when he says
that the senators now occupying seats
in the Senate Will not vote to pass this
bill Entrenched in their dishonored seats
by legislatures behind them, that they
have corrupted, they think that they may
defy all decency and scorn the public
will. But there is Il way TO get at these
men and to force them 10 let 80 their
hold upon the public throat. Agitation
Of this matter before the people will
secure the desired result.
Let every citizen resolve that he Will
do all in his power TO make his Legisla
ture pass resolutions demanding that his
senators shall vote for this bill. and the
thing will certainly be done. Sixty years
ago the Senate Of the United States under
took to pass a resolution OF censure upon
President Jackson for an official act that
was right, and that the people OF the
U nited States approved Of As soon as
it was done Senator Benton moved to
expunge 1t from the Record He regularly
renewed his motion at each session there
after, and forced a vote upon 1t each ses-
sion. The people took 1t up. State legis-
latures passed resolutions demanding that
their senators should vote for IT; sensi-
Bile senators obeyed the public behest, and
obstinate ones were turned out Of their
seats, and. after few years Of agita-
ton, the Senate expunged the resolution
of censure.
It is within the power OF the people to
force the Senate TO pass this bill also.
and there is nothing so important as that
II should be forced 10 ? so.