The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1896-03-21
LET CONGRESS TAKE HEED

The Kentucky state legislature ad-
journed sine-die Tuesday night, after
having spent sixty days in vain at
tempt to elect United States senator.
All legislation was made of secondary
consideration to the senatorial contest,
and as result little needed legislation
was enacted. The states finances are
in deplorable state, but a measure to
save its financial reputation could not
be passed. In fact so far as any bene-
fits to the state are concerned, the leg
islature had as well never have met.
Blame for this inaction can hardly be
laid to the door of any political party,
since neither had majority in both
branches. The house was composed
of fifty-two- democrats, forty-six re-
publicans and two populists, aDd the
senate of sixteen democrats and
twenty-five republicans. But tie
members as individuals are account
able for having allowed partisan preju-
dice to prevail over duty, and cause
them to be rank obstructionists in
stead of legislators.
The legislature of Kentucky is COM
posed of 138 members. They receive
SIS per day salary, and their per diem
has cost the state $51 400, to say moth
ing of mileage. clerk hire and other
expenses of the session, which prob
ably do not fall short of 800, 1000, maxi
an aggregate of over $4,000 that the
attempt to elect U. S. senator has
caused the people of that state. to say
nothing of what they are damaged by
the failure to enact needed legislation.
This farce in Kentucky taken in con-
nection with the fiasco enacted at the
capital of Oregon a little over year
ago, is ample argument against our
bunglesome methods of electing sena-
tors, and strong plea for the election
of senators by direct vote, or the entire
abolition of the upper house of con-
gresa.
No more dangerous cr expensive
system of electing officers could be
adopted than their choice by a legis-
lative body. 1t forces national issues
into our state legislatures, and detracts
the attention of members from matters
of local import, and from duties they
are elected to perform The sena-
torial contest in the Oregon legislature
last year cost the state not less than
$4,000, in the failure to enact reform
measures, and there is no assurance
that the same thing will not occur
next January, since the senatorial
fight will be fully as bitter in '97 as it
was in '95.
Congressman who, in the face of
such occurrences as have been wit
messed in Oregon and Kentucky, op-
pose the passage of the resolution call
ing for a constitutional amendment
providing for the election of U. S.
senators by direct vote, will act
directly in opposition to the interests
of the nation. Such will be unworthy
of remaining in the halls of the national
legislature. They can well take heed
of the public sentiment on this subject.
Especially can senators profit by heed
ing public sentiment on this question.
The senate has been guilty Of enough
deviltry during the last few sessions of
congress to cause many to conclude
that it is not an absolute necessity,
and if the people are much longer de-
prived of the privilege of choosing
senators, they will clamor for abolish
ing that body entirely.