The morning call., 1894-05-08
ELECTING SENATORS.

For some years the Senate Of the United
States has not given the people satsfac-
tion. The best men in public life have
found the way to the Senate blocked.
Some years ago Thurman of Ohio was
pushed aside for Standard Oil Payne. In
other States than OhiG corporation can
didstes have slipped easily into seats once
occupied by statesmen. California has
sinned grievously in this way. So many
men have taken their place in the Senate
under an obligation to serve private inter-
ests that the usefulness of that body is at
this day seriously questioned. The pur-
pose is strong, however. to make an al
tempt to restore conditions under which
the Senate was in fact. as in name, the
highest legislative body in the greatest re-
public in the world. The natural way to
elect Senators, if the Federal constitution
did not provide another way, would be to
elect them by popular vote. But for years
to come this will be impossible. There is
a compromise plan, however, which ought
to work we'll. There has been but one
conspicuous example of the workings of
this plan, but that gave the country the
greatest President since Washington. In
1858 Illinois was divided between Douglas
Democrats and Repu Dlicans. There was a
Senatorial election approaching, in which
Stephen A. Douglas was certain TO be the
candidate of his party. Who should lie ad
the Republicans? What man in their
ranks could meet the "lttle giant" in de-
bate? Was here man who could enter
into such debate and come out with a
standing that would compare with tine
prestige of the leader of the squatter SOW
ereignty wing OF the Democratic party !?
The question was referred to the State
convention. The people elected delegates
and The delegates named the man in whose
hands they thought the cause of the infant
party would be safe. Their choice was
Abraham Lincoln. To the great body OF
the people of the United States the name
was unknown. 1t was not unkno wn,
however. in Illinois nor to Stephen A.
Douglas. If Daniel Webster or Henry
Clay had been living and in their prime
and had been selected as Douglas oppo-
nent. the little giant would not have
prepared more thoroughly for the contest.
The debate that followed has become his
torical. LincoIn took the most advanced
Republican ground that had ever been
claimed tor the party. He accepted
the doctrine of the irrepressible conflict,
and brushed aside the Douglas subter-
fuge of popular sovereignty. 1t was not
possible, he said. to make it lawful to do
thing and at the same time make it law
full to prevent that thing from being Gone.
The outcome of the debate was popular
majority of about 5000 for Lincoln, but the
Legislature was Democratic. Douglas
was elected Senator. and two years later
Lincoln was elected President. But if the
Legislature of Illinois had met without in
structions from the people Lincoln might
not have been even a minority candidate
for Senator and would hardly have been
thought of for President In 1860.
While there are no Lincolns or Doug
lases in sight in California we need, none
the less, our best men in the Senate. The
battle with slavery has been fought
and won. but there are other battles
in sight The grasp of the money power
is hardly less fatal to the nation than was
the grasp of the Shareholders The coun-
try wants to find middle way between the
confscation of the property of the rich by
lawlessness and the confiscation of the
property of the poor by law. We cannot
hope to find that way by sending to the
Senate representatives of either class. We
want men for the Senate Of character.
brains and patriotism. What better way
to discover such a man than to invite the
people of the several counties to indicate
their choice for Senator through the State
conventions Of the three parties?