St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-09-24
U. S. SENATORS.
Shall They Be Elected by Direct
Vote of the People?

Shall They Be Elected by Direct
Vote of the People?
l venture the assertion that never in
the history of Republican governments
has there been so phenominally strong
an Endorsement by the people of a
position taken by any political party as
that following the announcement of the
Democratic policy in relation to the
tariff, as enunciated by President Cleve-
land In his message to congress in 1887,
and repeated by the Democratic national
convention at Chicago in JUNE, 1892, in
the following language, viz:
I'VE declare it to be a fundamental
principle of the Democratic party that
the federal government has no constitu-
tiOnal power to Impose and collect tariff
duties except for the purpose Of revenue
only, and We demand that the collection
of such taxes shall De limited to the
necessities Of the government when
honestly and economically admin
istered."
After a five-year contest, with the
tariff question the only issue, the people,
by an overwhelming majority, pro-
nounced in favor Of the above principle
and gave the party advocating it full
control of both branches of congress
and the executive department of the
government. constituting, L say. the
most emphatic Endorsement by the peo-
pie ever known of the policy advocated
by any political party in the history OF
republican government.
How has the policy so emphatically
Endorsed by the people been CARED out
by their representatives? That bra nch
of congress elected directly by the peo-
pie has faithfully kept its pledges and
honestly and earnestly endeavored to
revise the tariff laws OF the country in
accordance with the wishes Of the
masses, as expressed at the polls, while
the senate has defeated this legislation
demanded by the people. and sold it's
influence to the trusts and combines
the interests foStered and n0uriShed by
McKinleyism. the theory of pro-
lection, so emphatically condemned
by the very people whom they are
supposed to represent.
l can imagine no stronger argument
IN favor of II change in The method OF
electing United States senators than
this object lesson enacted this summer
by the senators themselves. 1t is quite
evident that if the people desire to be
represented, and not Tisrepresented,
by the men whom they send to the
United States senate, they must adopt
some plan by which those men shall be
brought into closer touch with their
constituents than they are at present.
They must be given to understand tina
in thiscou ntry the people are supreme,
and their wishes must be obeyed.
AS a move in this direction, the plan
proposed by some of electing the mem.
bers of the senate by direct vote of the
people would undoubtedly be a step in
the right direction. as it would open the
door of the senate to men of moderate
means. whose sympathies are now in
touch with the common people and who
are more readily reached and Influenced
by the wishes Of the masses, while un-
der the present system one but pluto
era tic millionalres, whose sympathies
| and associations are with the monOpO-
listic classes. stand any chance what
ever of getting there"
/ Ii our representatives in the United