Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-02-27

land the House OF LOIUS mas Ctdstu 10
be anything but an obstructive body,
preventing the people as whole from
carrying out many reforms which the
majority Of them would gladly see put
in force.
I'D TO the time spoken Of. the United
states Senate had been in all respects
the equal of its coordinate Congress
sionaI branch. II had the confidence
of the people. and had the strength
and courage TO assert its viii. knowing
that in asserting it it would command
public APPROVAL to the same extent that
would be forthcoming if a similar as
seruon was made by the House of Rep
resentauves. Then came the rotten
borough system established by the Re
publican party by which States with
less poulauon than many of our large
cities were given two votes in the Uni
ted States Senate-votes which gave
these handfuls Of wild western constt-
I uencies as much power in the upper
house Of our national legislature as the
/ greatest State in the Union. It is also
notorious that seats in the Senate have
/ been bought outright. it being motor
ious in that no one can be elected
United States Senator who has not
money enough to pay for his legisla-
tive support. In this way men have
taken seats i'm the upper branch of
+ Congress wholly wanting in public af-
fairs. and voting on many matters un-
der the influence Of their personal in
vestments.
But. while it is true that the Senate
/ has become simply an obstructive body
land wholly unrepresentative of the
people. the remedy proposed for this
condition is probably worse than the
/ disease itself. We have very little re-
gard for the Senate as il is now con-
situted. but it viii strike the cool.
/ headed observer that it's abolition to
the end that the entire legislative bus
mess Of the country may be carried on
by the popular branch of Congress,
would be a change from the frying pan
! to- the tender mercies of the fire. Think,
for instance. of the possible conse-
. queuces of the present Household
House-being given FUN power TO leg
isiate for the country. without the
check of an upper house. its vote final
/ With an executive of character and
backbone. such as Mr.. Cleveland, the
/ result might be simply an increased
. harvest Of vetoes. though the facilities
for overriding the veto of the Presi-
dent would be greatly increased, for the
sober second thought would scarcely
have time for fun development. But
we may not always have in the White
House so careful and conscientious
/ and uc~,y a guardian of the peoples
rights against the onslaughts of a pos
|sibly careless. incompetent, partisan, or
yenal legislature. hence some kind OF
a legislative brake on the lower house
+ Of Congress is necessary. and a poor
one is better than none at all
Whether it is possible 70 improve
the character of the Senator is a
different question. The rotten Dor
ough evil may be remedied in
time by the films mp of the far
western states. Another suggestion is
that Senators be chosen by direct vote
of the people of the various States.
such a change. We believe. may be
made by any State that chooses to
make it. as it rests with each State to
determine the method it shall adopt in
.elecung it's Senators. 1t is certain that
the people could not make worse selec-
tions than many of their legislatures
have. and under the popular system it
would not be practicable to directly
purcbaee q seat in the Senate.