Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-03-21

popular mind is, in large degree, to
detract from it's Importance, minimize
its dignity and power and cast the spirit
of obloquy over and around it and its
members. While your committee is or
the opinion that the impression which
leads to all this is to a very great extent
at least, not well founded, yet 1t is a fact
that cannot be ignored that it exists.
One weighty and the principal objee-
tion to the present system of electing
senators by the legislatures of the re-
speetive states, the report continues, is
that the power and right of the indi-
vidual voter are hedged about and cir
cumscribed; his will is manacled, his voli-
ton paraly7ed; he cannot vote for his
choice. He cannot, in fact, vote directly
at all, but must content himself with
casting a vote for members of the legisla-
ture who may orsmay not properly rep
resent his wishes in the vote for sena-
tor. 1t carries with ii the implication
that the people, the qualified voters of
a state, are for some reason unit for
the full exercise of the elective franchiae,
except in a qualified and largely restrict
ed sense. The present system is in prac-
tice, purpose and effect declaration that
for some occult reason, which is ] .
way manifest, 1t is unsafe and =
dicial to the public interests to com it
the election of sena tors to vote of the
people. The committee points out that
fer by reason of protracted senatorial
conteets that are of frequent occurrence.
Instances in New York Oregon, Wash
ington, Montana. Idaho, Wyoming and
Kentucky are cited. "The recent con-
test before the legislature of the state of
Delaware" says the report, 'is fresh in
the public mind, resulting in the claim
now pending of Mr. Dupont to a seat in
the senate, while the daily reports of the
interminable contest in the legislature
of the state of Kentucky with no results
after many weary months of fruitless
balloting, adds strength to the PROPOSE
tion of your committee"
Continuing on this line the report says:
But another vital objection to the cleo
tion of senators by the legislature and in
favor of the change proposed must be ap-
parent to all How frequently is it true
that in the selection of members of a
state legislature at a time when such
legislature has the election of a senator
every question is lost sight of except the
solitary one as to how candidates, If
elected, will vote on the question of the
senatorship?f The question as to the cam
didates qualifications for the business of
general legislation or the views he en-
tertains with reference to the great ma
terial interests of the state are wholly
lost sight of"
Popular opinion has. the committee
says, taken hold of the subject and the
demand for this change is loud and en-
phatic. The belief in the public mind is
rapidly gaining that proper Difference is
not given by the senate to the demands
and interests of the people. In conclusion
the committee says: "The people demand
a voice in the election of senators and. in
the judgment of your committee, should
be respected, so whatever may be said
to the contrary, whatever may be
thought of the sanctity of the constitu-
ton as 1t stands, it must be admitted by
all that the people are becoming restve
under its restraints on the rights of those
entitled under the constitution and laws
to exercise the elective franchise. The
movement of the people in the interest of
the people on this, as on many other
questions Is stalwart and universal, and
the sooner this great fact is recognized
by the representatives of the people the