The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1894-03-29
FUCKERS MEASURE
To Elect United States Senators by
Direct Vote of the People.
TWO FROM EACH STATE
The Bill Approved by the House Com
mituee but the Outlook In the Up
per House Not Reassuring.

WASHINGTON, March 26.-Mr fuckers |
bill providing for the election of United
States senators by direct vote of the |
people has been approved by the house
committee. The bill proposes to amend
the constitution so that provision re-
garding the election of senators shall
read as follows:
"The senate of the United States
shall be composed of two senators from
each state, elected by the people there
of, at large, for six years; and each
senator shall have one vote. The elec-
tors In each state shall have the qnali-
ications requisite for electors of the
most numerous branch of the state leg
l,latures. The times, places and man.
ner of holding elections for senators
shall be as prescribed in each state by
the legislature thereof. When vacan-
ces happen in the representation of
any state in the senate the executive
thereof TO make temporary appoint
ments until the people fill the vacancies
by election, as the legislature may di-
rect. This amendment shall not be so
term of any senator chosen before 1t
becomes valid as part of the constltu-
tion."
Such an amendment, If authorized by
congress, would have to be ratified by
the legislatures of three-fourths of the
states; but to get the joint resolution
through congress two-thirds of the
members of each house must agree to
it. 1t will be seen, therefore, that
Mr.. fuckers joint resolution, while
undoubtedly popular, can hardly get
through both houses. 1t passed the
house in the last congress by two
thirds vote and was sent to the senate.
1t received practically an adverse re-
port from the committee on privileges
and elections in the senate though no
recommendation was made by the ma
| joritv, and a minority consisting of
Mitchell of Oregon, Teller of Colorado,
and Turpie of Indiana approved the
resolution. IL was discussed in the
senate upon various occasions, but nc
vote was ever taken.
Mr.. Tucker sets forth in his report
various reasons for recommending the
proposed change. He holds that the
Legislature, being body of limite &c
numbers, is more amenable to undue In
huence and the corruping power of cor
porate aggressions and ipdividua
wealth than would be the entire popu
lation of 4 state. He pointed out tha
frequent legislative scandals had &C
companied the election of senators unit
bribery and corruption appeared II
some localities to be recognized as
part of the pocketbook rather than tina
of the head seemed to be regarded Il
some places as the measure of sena
torial equipment. Again, power an
responsibility should go together, an
b as the legislatures changed three time
during the service of a senator, he wa
: directly reponsible to nobody. Tn
s legislature was but a creature of th
e people, and as the Legislature create
s the senator the latter official did nc
d directly represent the sovereign powe
e of the state so distinctly as he might
q he had been chosen by direct vote
e the people.
e Another reason set forth by M
d Tucker is that gerrymandering won
=, be, to large extent, discouraged
ID changing the system so as to elect sc
1t ators at large instead of by legislato
lie chosen by districts. State and feder
ID affairs would be kept distinct. II
De legislative districts would be create
Id purely for state purposes, and no gerr
o. Wandering for the election of senat
could take place. In concluding his ]
port Mr.. Tucker said:
"Finally we submit this amendmei
not in the belief that it is the cure
ed all the evils complain ined of by the pr
pie, but with confidence that it "
Ia eradicate many such evils anu Will nd
m a healthful tendency to check the
of crease of others. That better men v
ay In all cases be selected we do not ella
Id or hope for, but the wholesome inhuer
gs on political parties of the knowled
ck that from the nominating conyenti'
lily the appeal will be more direct to
ws people for their suffrages, none
ms. deny, and the bribe giyer and corr
bly, ZIONIST will not dare to face the Sc
red of an enlightened constituency, e
ex- though by intrigue and fraud he co
accomplish his nomination in conS
tion.n
Nc Physician Missing.