The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1896-03-27
BY DIRECT VOTE.
Favorable Report on constitutional Amend
ment TO Provide for the Election Of Sena-
tors BY q Direct Vote.

ate committee on privileges anu
elections this morning made a favorable
report on amendment of the Consti-
tuition providing for the election of
United States Senators by a direct
vote of the people.
The report is very voluminous.
Among other things it says: "1n
the judgement of your committee any
movement that looks to the right of
the people to be heard directly in the
election of senators cannot but result
beneficiary to oil concerned. The
adoption of this proposed amendment
will, in the judgement, of youl COM
mittee, bring the senate into more
amicable relations with the people.
twill relieve prejudices now existing
which are deeply and dangerously
fastened upon the public mind. 1t
will invoke spirit ofmutual forbear-
ance and respect between tine senate
and the people which unfortunately
does not now exist to that degree
that is desirable. 1t will restore
confidence. 1t will tend to elevate
the character and dignity, increase
the usefulness, extend the influence
and justly magnify the power of the
senate. andat the same time, promote
the welfare of all the people of the
republic. The tendency of public
| opinion is to disparage the senate and
| depreciate it's dignity, its usefulness,
its integrity, its power. lift there is
| any cause for this tendency in the
public mind, it should be removed
| without delay. Although the senate
| of the United States should be, and
in fact is, the most dignifed as well
as the most important legislative
body in the world, the tendency in
public journalism and popular mind,
is in large degree to detract from
its Importance, minimize its dignity
and power and cast the spirit of OBJ
loquy over and around it and its
members. While committee are of
the opinion that the impression which
leads to all this is to very great ex-
tent, as least not we'll founded, yet 1t
is fact that cannot be i gnorcd, that
it exists"
"Onc weighty and principal OBJ
lection to the present system of
electing senators by the legislatures
of the respective States" the report
continues "is that the power and
right of the individual voters are
hedged about and circumscribed, his
will is manaclcd, his volition paralyz-
ed, he cannot vote for his choice. lie
cannot in tact, vote directly at all,
but must content himself with casting
a vote for members ofthe legislature
who may or may not properly repre-
sent his wishes in the vote they may
cast for senator. 1t carries with il,
implication that the people, the quail
fed voters Of State, arc for some
reason unfit for the full exercise of
the elective franchise, except in a
qualified and largely restricted sense.
The present system is in practice,
purpose and effect declaration that
for some occult reason which is in no
way made manifest, it is unsafe and
prejudical to the public interest to
commit the election of senators to the
vote of the people. The committee
points out that the material interest
of the States suffer by reason of pro-
tracted senatorial contents that are of
frequent occurrence. Instances in
New York, Oregon, Washington,
Montana, Idaho, Wyoming and
Kentucky are cited. The recent
contest before the legislature of the
State of Delaware. says the report,
sis fresh in the public mind, result .
ing in the claim now pending Of Mr..
Dupon to seat in the senate, while
the daily reports of the intcrminable
contest in the legislature of the State
of Kentucky with no results, many
weary months of fruitless balloting,
adds strength to the proposition of
your committee
| In conclusion the committee saws:
"Thc people demand Il voice in the
| election of senators and such demand
in the judgment Of your committee
should be respected. SO, whatever
may be said to the contrary, what
ever may be thought of the sancitity
of the Constitution as it stands, it
must be admitted by all that the
people are becoming restive under