The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1896-03-25
Senators by Direct Vote.
Favorable Report on a Con
stitutional Amendment.

Washington. March 90 The senate
committee ou privileges and elections
this morning made a favorable report
on the amendmen: to the Constitut on
providing for the election of United
States senators by direct vote of the
people.
The report is very voluminous.
Among other things it says: ''In the
judgment of your committee any move
men: that looks to the right of the
people to be heard directly 10
the election Of senators cannot but re-
suit beneficiary to all concerned. The
adoption of this proposed amendment
will, in the judgment, Of your commit
tee. bring the senate into more amicable
relations with the people It will re.
lieve prejudices now existing which are
deeply and dangerously becoming fast
ened upon the public mind. 1t will
invoke spirit Of mutual forbearauce
and respect as between the senate aud
the people which unfortunately does
no, now exist to that degree that is de-
sirable. Il will restore confidence. 1t
will tend to elevate the character aud
dignity, increase the usefulness, extend
the influence and justly magnify the
power of the senate, and. ct the same
time, promote the welfare of all the
people of the republic. The tendency
of public opinion is to dlsparage the
senate ana deprec'ate its dignity, its
usefulness, its integrity, its power.
If there is any cause for this tendency
in the public miud. it should be re-
moved without delay. Although the
senate of the United States should be,
and 10 fact is, the most digni6ed as
we'll as the most important legislative
body iu the world. the tendency iD pub
lie Journalism and popular mind. is in a
large degree to detract from its import
auce, minimize its dignity aud power
and cast the spirit of obloquy over and
around it and its members While
the committee is of the opinion that the
impression which leads to ali this is to
q vsry great extent, at least not we'll
founded, yet it is fact that cannot be
ignored, that it exists +"
lone weighty aud principal objec
tion to the present system OF electiog
senators by the legislatures Of the re-
spective States, ;" the report continues
sis that the power and right o. the in
dividual voters are hedged about and
circumscribed, his will is manacled, his
volitlon paralyzed, he cannot vote for
his choice. He cannot, 10 fact, vote
directly at all, but must content him.
self with casting vote for members of
the legislature who may or may not
properly represent his wishes in the
vote they may cast for senator. 1t car
ries with it the Implication that the
people, the qualified voters of State,
are, for some reason unfit for the full
exercise of the elective franchise, ex
cept in qualified aud largely restricted
sense. The present system is n prac-
ticc, purpose and effect, declaration
that for some occult reason which is in
no way made manifest, it is unsafe and
unprejudicial to the public interests to
commit the election of senators to the
vote Of the people. The Committee
points out that the material interests Of
the State suffer by reason Of protracted d
senatorial contests that are frequent oc-
currences Instances in New York
Oregon, Washington, Montana. Idaho
Wyoming and kentucky are cited
The recent contest before the legisla-
ture of the State Of Delaware, says the
report, ISIS fresh in the public mind,
resulting in the claim ssaow pending Of
Mr.. Dupont to seat 10 the senate,