The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-07-04
SENATOR'S BY POPULAR VOTE
Both Parties in Michigan Likely to
Adopt This Plan.


1t has not escaped attention. we trust,
that the call for a state convention OF.
the democracy Of Michigan embraces
among the purposes the nomination OF
two candidates for the United States SEN
ate. As is we'll understood. the people
have now no voice in the choice OF SEN
ators. The constitution provides that
they shall be chosen by the legislatures
Of the several states. and the only way
in which the people can be heard in the
matter is through their representatives
in the legislature. The constitution can,
of course, be amended-at least there Is
a way provided for amendment; but the
process is a tedious one, and it is very
doubtful If an amendment could be Sc
cured in years covering this very neces-
sary reform. There is a way, however,
in which the purpose can be erected IN
directly; and the call referred TO is the
initial step in carrying it out. IF the
conventions of all parties would nomi-
nate their candidates for the senate their
representatives in the legislature would
feel bound TO vote for the party nOmi-
nees; or if they should decline on any
ground to obey the party's instructions
they would do so only once. The party
would not tolerate any such disloyalty.
1t is intimated that the republican.
party will follow the example of the de-
mOcracy in this regard when its conven-
ton is called; and it is to be hoped that
ate, as at present constituted, IS not In
any case representative Of the people.
1t is doubtful if it can ever be made
fully representative without a radical
change in its constitution; and II is quite
as doubtful whether the best thing that
can be done with it is not its abolition.
But so long as il exists everything should
be done that can be to compel a recogni-
ton by it of the fact that this is popu-
lar government; and certainly the cleo
ton Of senators by the people even indi-
rectly will go a long way toward insur-
ing that result.
The misrepresentation or misrepre-
sentation of the people by the senate Is
not the cnly-perhaps not the worst-evil
Of the existing system. Under it the
whole business interests Of the state are
neglected or sacrificed whenever a sem
ator is to be chosen. The legislature.
which should always be chosen with ex-
press reference 10 the needs OF the
state and of the several sections thereof.
is actually chosen every senatorial year
with reference almost exclusively TO the
ambition of one man. 1t is not asked
whether the candidate for state senator
or representative viii look out for the
interests Of his section or Of the entire
state or whether he Is capable of so do
ing: but whether he viii vote for GER
tain candidate for the United States sem
ate He is selected by the senatorial as
erence to comforting upon the former the
coveted prize; and when he has regis
tered his vote on that question his duty
as a Iegislat tor is accomplished. He may
remain at the capital and participate for
mally in the business of legislation. but
the work for which he was chosen fs
done and those who sent him have no
further use for him.
Far too often. moreover, there Is strong
suspicion that the members Of the legis-
lature are influenced in making their
choice for senator by pecuniary consider
atoms. 1t has passed into a proverb that
a poor man cannot be chosen to the SEN
ate: and that body has come TO be called
by common consent the milliOnaires'
club. 1t is well understood that wealth
is not always accompanied by ability,
and still better understood, perhaps, that
the possessors of great wealth are not
in sympathy with the people, but
with the controllers Of wealth. Yet IL
is the man of money who always In re-
cent wears takes the senatorial prize:
and 1t is not surprising that the belief
should be current that he owes il not
merely TO his possession OF money, but
TO a shreWd use of ito putting il where
II will do the most good. There have
been very few senatorial elections in re-
cent years where the charge was not
made Of corruption on the part Of the
legislature; and if the evidence has not
been sufficient to carry conviction in a
court Of justice il has often been suffi-
cient TO convince the unpreiudiced mind.
There have been some experiments in
the direction Of change in the system and
a choice by the people il the indirect way
pointed OUT and they have been very
Let Michigan try 1t this year
and let the state for once be represented
in the United States senate by men Of
the peoples choice.-Detroit Free Press.