St. Paul daily globe., 1894-08-19
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MIR. OLIVER ERICKSON.
democratic Candidate for Congress, Mime


neapolis.
Should United States senators be
elected by the people? No! They
should neither be elected nor selected,
but the whole institution rejected. This
so-called upper house is simply the fag
end of monarchy that was foisted upon
our institutions by the Hamiltonians
and the force of circumstances which
at that time made it necessary to yield
to the sticklers for state sovereignty.
Whether senators be elected by popular
vote or otherwise, so long as they are
apportioned as at present. the result
will be travesty upon popular govern
ment.
To see how far our country comes
from true Democracy, it is but neceS-
sary to take glance at the relative
power of New York and Nevada in
framing the laws of our country.
The first, an empire in territory and
population. the second. with scarcely
enough voters to make respectable
legislative district. yet each one has
two senators. New York with her
millions OF people might want free
with drove of sheep and an average
output of boys could put the wishes of
New York at naught. If some one in
our legislature should come forward
with plan to organize the government
of Hennepin county by selecting two
county commissioners from Minneapo-
lis and two from each township, any
one knowing the situation would con-
slider the proposition idiotic. Never
theess. the United States senate is con-
structed on just such an inequitable
basis. Taxation without representation
is bad, bat legislation by misrepresenta-
ton is worse. What we want is not
government Dy the few, by the states
or by the square mile. but government
by the people.
There is nothing a state can lose by
the abolition of the senate except two
officeholders, unless it be the privilege
of thwarting the will OF the majority-a
luxury no state should enjoy. Aside
from the injustice of the apportionment
of senators, there are good reasons why
their services should be dispensed with.
A double -barreled rifle has advantages
ever a single-barreled one sometimes,
but double -barreled legislative body
is bound to be failure, for it takes two
barrels to do less than one barrels
work.
However, if we must have senate, by
all means let US have its members elected
by popular vote To have legislative
body composed of one class of people is
bound to bring evil results, no matter
what class it may be. The United
States senate is composed of one class,
namely, the rich. That this is so IS no
particular fault of the senator's; it is
simply case of cause and effect. Rich
men, or their instruments, come into the
senate as naturally as cat-tails come up
in swamp. The further the selection
Of an officer is removed from the voters
the more certainty there IS of wealth
being the most potent factor in his
selection, and the less regard he will
have for the welfare of the comm unity.
When man has to come back to the
people every two years he is apt to
keep his hand on their pulse in the
interim, and be guided by their wishes.
A United States senator never has occa!
| sion to worry about what the people
think; his sleepless nights are caused
by some other candidate getting into his
preserves. The truth of this statement
is exemplified in the present turn oil
concerning Senator Washburn's seat
| The newspapers nave had columns of
matter concerning his prospects; but
would any one suspect that the rank
and file had any interest in the out
come? Not at all. Is any one asking
what the present incumbent has done or
will do? Oh. no! The questions are
! Will Gov. Nelson be a candidate? Is
Merriam after it? Will Clough go back
on Washburn? and hundred similar
| questions; but what the masses think is
mot in i. little BIT" A portion of the
evils we endure from the United States
5aaate can be alleviated by popular
elections; but the wisest thing to do
would be 10 follow Hamlet's advice to
the player oh, reform IT altogether"
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