St. Paul daily globe., 1894-06-20
REFORMING THE SENATE.

Hdt0 GlulS W Walk UdCk.
REFORMING THE SENATE,
Recent events in Washlngton-th
debate on the silver bill last fall and
the debate on the tariff bill at the pres
ent protracted session-have empha.
sized the necessity of bringing the
United States senate nearer to the
people. The members of that body
seem to labor under the delusion that
they are superior order of beings, and
are not responsible to the people for
any misuse of the powers that.are con-
ferred upon them. They trifle with
subjects most grave. aud paiter over
legislation of the most vital concern. A
lot OF old women in fish market, bag
CLING over the price of a haddock, do
not make themselves more ridiculous
than the hair splitting senators who
dispute for days over the sugar. the
wool, or the cotton schedule in the
tariff bill.
For many years the people have real
lied that popular government, so far as
the senate bears part in it, is a fail
ure. For the senate is in no sense a
representative 0dy-representative of
the people. at any rate. The people
have only an Indirect voice in the choic e
OF members. They are more frequently
the representatives Of interests inimical
to the public goot1-of monopolies in
finance, i'll manufacturing and in trade.
Their first care is not the prosperity. of
the masses upon whose toll the prosper
lty OF the country depends, but the
benefit of those corporations whose
profits are wrung from the people in ex-
orbitant charges for articles of pri me
necessity.
In the absence of constitutional
amendment making United States seua-
tors elective by the whole people in
stead OF by the legislatures-a reform
impossible of attainment under present
conditions-the Illinois plan, adopted
by consent of both parties. is to be com
mended. The plan is not an Illinois
product, although it is generally known
as such. 1t was first adopted in Nebras-
ka. when Senator Van Wyck made the
canvass OF the state after receiving the
Endorsement of the Republican state
convention for the Office. Previous to
that. however, the idea was recognized
in Illinois when Lincoln and Douglas
stumped the state as avowed candidates
for the senate; but in that day neither
had the formal Endorsement of the state
conventions of their party.
The legislative battle this year in IlIi-
nols will be fought upon national issues.
Each candidate for the general assembly
is pledged to vote for one OF the other
OF the candidates for the United States
senate. aud the Democratic state con-
vention-and probably the Republican
convention as welI-will probably de-
clare TOR one OF the other of the aspir-
ants. But the wishes of the people
Will, at any rate, receive a measure of
respect IN the matter; and the successor
to Senator Cullom, whoever be may be,
will owe an allegiance to the peepI e
thathe cannot ignore without tlagrantly
violating the trust reposed in him.
The Illinois plan is worthy of adop-
ton Ill every state in the Union. 1t is
the only method at present available of
compelling obedience by the senators to
the wishes OF their constituents. As a
rule, the senators are chosen by the
moneyed interests. Not few of those
now in Office have openly purchased
their seats. This is notably the case as
to the senators from Nevada, Montana
and Colorado, aud there is good ground
to believe that money was corruptIy
used in legislatures nearer home to in
fuenee votes for persons who now as
sumo to represent the sentiment of the
people in the United States senate.
Few Of The senators now occupying
seats are in their present positions be.
cause of the interest they take in the
cause of good government. This has
been demonstrated so often that there is
no room for dispute. For the most part
they have other axes to grind. One is
the attorney of the iron manufacturers
and miners; another of the sugar trust /;
another is interested in oil; and still
others have their pet monopo!les to look
after. There is scarcely man among
them who can be relied upon to stand
up for the interests of the common peo-
pie upon all occasions. If they are not
already i'll the employ of some corpora
tion they are looking around for All en-
ployer, and will accept the first PROPOSE
ton that comes to hand. A few of them
are mediocre in ability and with no in.
fiuence. These are honest simply be-
cause they are not worth buying and
therefore have no temptations thrown
in their pathway, and very few are
honest from principle. But these are
exceedingly rare. They are rare treas
nres. indeed, and are held in the highest
estimation.
The Illinois plan ought to be generally
adopted in the choice of United States
senators, and the Democratic party
should take the initiative everywhere.
BY means of this system reformation
may be wrought which shall ultimately
result in making the senate a repre-
sentative body. free from many of the
evils that now seem an inseparable part
OF It, Until some such system is inau-