The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-12-12

purpose. this growing purpose Of indie
pendence in the voter will be. beyond meas
ure. aided by the additional privilege pro-
vided for in this proposed amendment
say privilege. and it is thus spoken Of ad-
visedly.
"The function Of voting for United
States senator IS under present conditions,
a privilege privy law. a prlvy right en-
joyed now only by the few. from which the
many are debarred. Does the senator
chosen represent the few? He would him
self disclaim such partial function. Does
he represent the many? Why should not
the many then elect their representative?
Now, If any one say the people themselves
do not wish to exercise this privilege, the
answer is. let them at least decide whether
or no they desire it. If it be said the peo-
pie ought not 10 have this privilege. let
him who says that find, If ne can, a reason
for so saying.
Let the People Decide.
Now. If this amendment be submitted
by our action. as II should be. and upon
submission it be rejected. no harm fol-
lows; it will come to naught. But let us
not defeat submission. Let us not stand
for privilege or prerogative; let US stand
and abide with the people we'll knowing
that their action in either event will justify
our highest trust and confidence.
often all Of us have spoken Of the grand
eur, the civic grandeur conferred by the
elective franchise; of the noble status and
condition of a free man in a free state
Yet when we consider carefully the pres
ent law concerning the formation Of this
body, we see plainly that this high c0ndi-
ton may still be ennobled and enlarged,
and that, too, with the happlest effect both
upon the senate and the people.
In speech made here upon the 17th day
Ff Dec IA Tho col Rwu IN
lanSuaSe-and l am still content with these
wordsworth change none of them:
That centripetal force Indigenous to all
forms Of government SO alien to the spirit
OF free democracy. has always been
greatly favored by modes of cOmmunica-
ton such as those now existing between
the senate and the people-modes some
what devious. indistinct, indefinite. To
make the path Of this communication
straight 70 make it a public highway. an
open course, unbrOken and uninterrupted
from the polls to the senate chamber, IS
70 inflict a grievous wound upon central
ism, and will help 10 drive monopoly from
its noXiOus lair To grant TO the whole
body OF electors in state this senatorial
franchise, If you VIII allow me the use Of
such expression, must induce and awaken
an interest much enlarged, a sense Of re
spousibility very much heightened. in the
heart and mind Of every citizen.
" ACKNOWLEDGMENT of the units in free
state is not that of the federal head. but
creates and subserves the condition Of dis
tinct, Independent, personal thought, feel
ing and action, the unaSsailable hulwarks
30 homo rule and local sovereignty. The
added inference, Importance and power OF
each individual voter az his home must
diminish the means as il would lessen the
opportunity for federal aggression. What
ever aggrandiZes the rights OF the citizen
eievates the state
The greater the citizen the greater
becomes the state Of which he is a MEM
Der, and the greater the state the greater
and stronger becomes the union of the
states OF which the nation is formed. BY
reason Of the multitude Of our people and
tie wide dispersion Of their habitatiOns.
even in colonial days. as all could not
assemble at the same time and place, the
scheme Of rcp~esentati-c gov ernment was
very early adopted. And before the revo-
luton the plan OF two legislative cham
bers. embracing two kinds Of representa-
tives, answering respectively to the senate
and the house. had largely obtained ac-
ccptance. Although some Of the states at
the time Of the formation Of the present
government had only one legislative cham
Der. yet the dual system soon became gen
cral.
The state Legislatures.
Both the legislative chambers in the
states are chosen by direct vote Of the
people and the constitutions Of the several
states do expressly provide for this method
Of choice. and no other Doubtless it would
have been competent to have provided in
any state that the senate branch Of the gen
cral assembly should nave been chosen
otherwise.
"But no such policy has been APP
proved, and J do not think that any con-
siderable number Of persons could be found
who would advocate tn election Of either
-1l.4r ,
mode than by direct vote Of the people.
Such a radical retr0gressl1n and departure
from the principle OF free popular govern
ment would not now be tolerated by the
citizens Of any state, even the newest and
latest IN is formation.
For q century this system Of two lsGis-
lative bodies. both chosen by the popular
vote, In the government Of the states has
been in force and practice. The stability Of
the Institutions GA the state its continuity
II policy the capacity 70 check careless,
hasty. or incOlsiderate action in one branch
by deliberations in the other. have been sue
cessfully demonstrated. The longer term,
the larger experience, and that conservatism
which may be called the Wis inertice Of pO-
ltical life have been found equally effective
in the senates of the states as here and
have proven conclusively that the useful
purposes OF a second branch in legislative
assemblies does not at all require the dis
franchiscment Of the people in their election.
nor does IL Qeplllu upon the peculiar IlelnDI
OF the election Of their members but upon
the tenure Of their service. the requirements
OF greater average age. and the consequent
wider experience and more extended OBJ
servation and knowledge OF public affairs
among the membership Of the senate branch.
And these senatcs Of the several states have
not only existed and acted in Delaware,
Rhode Island and New Jersey. but in the
great states Of Georgia Pennsylvania.
Ohio-in New York. a state containing to-
day more population than the whole cOun-
try at the time the union was formed. These
state senates, chosen by direct popular vote,
and the assemblies Of which they consti-
tuted a part have abundantly shown their
capacity to deal with the highest questions
OF statemanship, have fostered the increase
OF wealth and population. have enlarged the
scope of public education. have punished
crime. have conserved public peace and or
der and have preserved, wlthal. thus far IN
each OF our commonwealth a very vital
form Of liberty.
Not Now ns of Yore.
''In quite early times in some Of our
states to vote for a member Of the state
senate was a special franchise. II required
qualifications of property. age, or residence
not required in voting for the more nu-
merous branch of the legislature The
right to vote for state senator was exer-
cised by a body Of electors quite numer-
Gus. but Il by no means included the whole
number Of voters. Surprising now that by
some lapse, some omission Of the hand Of
reform. this antique provision had been
somewhere retained, what leader Of opin-
ion In any state would now justify It's
n -. -