Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1896-02-09
PINE BLUFF, ARK, FEB. 3, 1s96.
LARGEST DAILY CITY CIRCULATION.
AN UNSEEMLY r -SCRAMBLE.

AN UNSEElHL F SCRA MBLE.
 It must be a source of profound re- gret to all those who have proper conception for the dignity of the office to witness the unseemlJ scramble now in progress in this State between Gov Clarke and Sen ator Jones for the exalted posi- tion of seat in the Senate of the United States. Just now these two distinguished personages are mak- ing an almost house. house can vass of Sebastian county for the honor of represent ting the State of Arkansas in the highest parliamen- tary body of the greatest Republic on earth. Such procedure is not in keeping with the exalted ideas of the makers of the Constitution of the United States and is almost without precedent in this country. True, Lincoln and Douglas made joint canvass of the State of Illinois back in the flfties, and later Senator John M. Palmer made a canvass of the counties of the same State for a seat in the United States Senate, but we have yet to record an in stance, with the exception of the present Senatorial campaign in Ar kansas, where two asbirants for the lofty position of United States Sen ator ever engaged in the nndignitied procedure of making township canvass and speaking at every country cross roads like ordinary candidates for county and township offices or the State Legislature. The office of United States Senator dif- fers very materially from any other office within the gift of the people, State or Federal. A United States Senator is in the nature Of an Am bassador from State to the Ma tional Government. He is the rep resentatiye of q souereiqn State in our Federative system of govern ment This is instanced by the fact that Senators 10 the United States are not elected by popular vote, but the Legislature of a sovereign State in which is reposed the sovereign power of a people as defined and set forth by their State Constitution
 A United States Senator differs from a Congressman in this: The latter is the representative Of the people of district and the number of Congressmen from Q State is de termined by population, while the former is the representative of 8 sovereign State, regardless of popu- lation or numbers. In the United States Senate all the States, large or small, stand equal in power, while in the House the voting strength and power of each is gov erned by population.
 In the early days of our Republic, like that of President now, the office of Senator sought the man and not the man the office. Then seats in the Federal Senate were unsought and unbought; now they are sought, bought and scrambled for in an un- seemly and disgraceful manner, which is but additional evidence of a too frequent tendency to drift away from the moorings established by our patriotic forefathers and founders of our glorious Republic.
 For the present township cam paign for the United States Senate now in progress in this State, Gov. Clarke is solely responsible. Itwas he who made the ten or more ap- poin tments for political speakings in Sebastian county, and of course Senator Jones found it necessary to follow suit. Had Gov. Clarke con- tented himself to leave his cause with the people of Arkansas and re- mained steadfast to bis duties as the Chief Executive of the State,