The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1896-05-20
THE NATIONAL SENATE
Prospects of Reform In Its Elec-
ton.
BY DIRECT VOTE OF THE PEOPLE.
Senator Palmer's story-Prospects Of Ad-
journment Of Congress-President Cleve-
land Wants 1t sOn His Hands"-A SLAM
der on Gomez.

journment Of Congress-President Cleve-
land Wants 1t 'sOn His Hands"--A SLAM
der on Gomez.
WASHINGTON, May 20.-[Special BE
fore the session comes 10 an end Senator
Mitchell of Oregon, chairman Of the COM
mittee on privileges and elections, hopes
to secure vote on the proposed constitu-
tional amendment providing for election
of United States senators by direct vote OF
the people. This reform has been gaining
strength In the senate year after year and
is likely to pass-if not at this session,
then at the next. The haste for adjourn
ment may prevent test vote at this time.
That this change In our constitution will
be effected within "A few years many of the
ablest men in public life believe. In con-
versation on this score few days ago
Vice President Stevenson said he felt sure
congress would ere long submit the ques
tion to the states, and he was equally sure
that the necessary number Of states, or
two-thirds, would indorse It,
Power of Small States.
The vice president, while not submitting
to an interview, thought 1t also possible
the people would, ere many years have
passed, insist upon electing their president
by direct vote of the people too. This is
not regarded as being so desirable change
as that in the manner of choosing sem
ators One of the fundamental ideas of
the trainers Of our government was to give
the states equal power In the senate and
an approximation to equal power in the
electoral college. At that time no one was
able to foresee that we were to have states
Nth ~ nd
states with less than so, 600 population.
Probably such thing was not dreamed Of
by the wise men who framed our constitu-
ton, but it has come to pass. Nevada, for
instance, with less than so, 600 population,
has equal voice with New York In the sem
ate and one-twelfth New York's strength
In the electoral college, though its popula-
ton is only about one one-hundredth-a and
twenty. fifth part that of New York's. A
proposition TO elect presidents by plurality
vote of all the people would doubtless be
resisted by all the smaller states, for IL
would deprive them of much Of the politi-
cal importance which they now enjoy. The
smaller states like Rhode Island, Nevada,
Delaware, Idaho Utah, Montana and 9TH
ers, are numerous enough to defeat the
adoption of any such constitutional amend
ment should 1t be proposed.
Senator Palmer's story.
Senator Palmer Of Illinois is the story
teller of the upper branch of congress.
The aged senator, who is now rounding
out his half century Of public service, rarely
makes speech without telling ut least
one story. In his address on the financial
question few days ago he combatted the
idea that this is the first time we have had
low prices for farm products in this coun-
try. He admitted prices were lower than
they should be, but asked the senate TO
pardon him while he related a personal
experience.
MANY years ago, said the white haired
veteran, while, as a young man, / was
practicing law at Springfield, in my state,
a man owed me bill of S34 for legal serv-
ices rendered Times were hard and money
scarce, and he asked me If he might not
pay the debt in corn, which was then sell
ing at 10 cents bushel. l told him he
might. He asked me where he should put
the corn, for he wished to deliver it that
day, and pointed to little crib in the
back part of my lot and told him TO put it
in there. Then l went away TO court. On
my return home in the evening my wife
told me TO go out and see what nice lot
of corn we had in our crib. went out
but l could not find the crib. 1t was not
only full Of corn, but had been completely
buried in corn until it was out of sight,
and till that moment l had not realized
how much corn you can buy with S34
when the price is only 10 cents q bushel."
Prospects of Adjournment.
Though next Monday is the day which
was set in the house resolution for the ad-
journment of congress till next fall, it is
81. 81.
on that day. The senate is dragging along
and no one is able to say just how many
more days 1t will want to sit, for some dis
quieting rumors have been In circulation
1t is known that the silver Republicans
from the far west and the Populistic sena
tors would like to keep congress here till
after the st. Louis convention shall have
met and made its platform. These sena-
tors want chance to discuss that plat
form. In other words, they fear the cur
rency plank to be adopted at St. Louis Is
not going to be satisfactory to them, and
they wish chance to debate 1t before the
country, to raise a disturbance, and per-
haps promote the split which the more ex
treme of them threaten TO make in the
Republican ranks.
One idea they have Is that such debate
will exert great influence upon the Demo-
cratic convention to meet at Chicago three
weeks later, where the silver men will
make their last rally. 1t Is not as yet prob
able that this scheme to delay adjourn
ment will succeed, because 1t Is UNDER
stood the leading men Of the two old
parties in the senate are agreed that the |
last day Of the session shall be not later
than two weeks hence. But surprises may
be In store for them. In body like the
senate, which runs along practically with
out rules and in which there is no power
to limit debate, almost anything is posi-
BILE.
President Cleveland Is exceedingly anx-
ious for an early adjournment. He wants
to got congress off his hands, as soon as
possible. The general expectation In we'll |
informed circles Is that the president in. |
tends taking some more radical step con-
corning the Cuban question, but that he |
first wants to get congress out of the way. |
A cruel story to the effect that General |
Maxine Gomez, the general in chief of |
the Cuban armies, had turned traitor and |
sold himself out to Spain was put in cir |
culation a short time ago. OF course 1t |
was false. The story proves on investiga- |