The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1895-10-29
AN "UNDRMoCRATIC LEGISLA'
TIVE BODY.

DOODA0 VI VIC OuAECN 80
majority of the Representatives In Cne
United States Senate is, In many cases.
mistaken.
The senate is composed OF two Sena-
tors from each State, chosen by the
Legislature to serve six years. Ii each
State contained an equal number OF In
habitants, this would seem just. but
New York had a population IN 1891 Oh
nearly 5000, 900, while the State Oh
Nevada had a population OF less IMAM
$1,000. So New York has more than a
hundred times as many people as Ne
vada. And it seems that justice would
entitIe New York TO a hULdred tlnes
more Representatives in the United
States Senate than Nevada. One man
has as much Influence over the United
States Senate as one hundred men In
New York have.
If the Senators of the twenty three
States having the least numOer or In
habitants were to combine they would
have a majority in the Upper House OF
Congress; and they would represent
States having a population, according
to the census of 1890, of lees than 3D.
600, coo, which is considerably less than
the population of the three States OF
New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio.
There were, according to the census
of 1890, seventeen States each having
a population of less than a million, and
all of then together having a popula
ton less than that of the State of New
York. Yet they have "a Senators,
while New York has only two.
As I have already shown, $4,000, 900
people can, if they are properly situa,
ted geographically, control the United
States Senate. But even if Senators
wero elected by the popular vote In
stead of by the State Legislature, a
majority of these 13 600, 900 people,
which is only 1000, 900, could elect the
Senators of these States. But a still
smaller number than 1000, 900 cam IN
der the present mode of electing United
States Senators, elect the Senators of
those States. To carry a State Legisla-
ture for any party it is only necessary
to carry a majority Of the counties
thereof. And to carry a majority of
the voters in each county which we
desire to carry.
So a majority Of the counties of the
States containing 13, OOO, 900 people,
would contain about 1000 600 people;
aud n p1nSNrIEu ~ kA1- y nO0 nOn -o,-lo
is only 1000, 900, or less. So you see
that il is plain that 1000, 900 people,
rightly situated geographically, car
combine and elect a majority of the
United States Senators.
-Four million people is only about one
eighteenth of the people of the entire
80 it is possible for one eighteenth of
the United States to control the upper
branch of the National legislature.
The most alarming feature of this
inequality of influence on the United
States Senate by the votes of d ferent
sections of the country is its tendency
TO grow, While it is now possible for
n eighteenth Of the people of the
country to control the Senate, we may
reach the point several decades hence
when q iftieth or one one hundredGh
of the people will have it III their
power to control it. The political par.
ties being JEALOUS of each other will
take every advantage of each other
that they can. When one party gets
IN power it An greatly prolong its hold
on the government by admitting sew
eral new and small States in a section
of the country which it thinks will be
with the party doing the admitting.
Thus it was said of the Fifty-first Con
gress, which was Republican, that it
admitted four new States in a section
of country which was known to be
strongly Republican, thus they gained
eight Republican States.
If a party was to get hard up" while
it was in power, it could take a State
which was strong for the party in ques.
ton and make a dozen STATES of 1t, and
gain twenty four Senators for the
party.
This condition of affairs needs rem
edying before u government becomes
q greater Oligarchy than it now is. We
can double tbs chances Of the IT g
Senate being controlled by the majority
of the people of the nation by amend.
ing the Constitution so that the Sena-
tors shall be elected by the popular
vote. Aud it should be done as early
as possible.
But it is impossible to deprive any
State of it's equal representation in the
Senate without it's consent. This was