Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-08-12

TO be senator x,.trfax
Hon. II. Walton Moore, OF an
made a very strong speech III iaVol
che Jones scheme. lie pointed TO nuinel
ous other States I'm which the eihP,o'
nsont OF money and machine methods nau
resulted I'm sending to the senate ine"
vVhom the people would not have 'ouch-
"a Mr. Moore, in contrasting tn'
nresent method OF nominating with 'ne
more desirable one OF letting the ""Oi0
people speak" made an aliusion 10 ui
Iantern' caucuses which caused one Vi
two of those who followed him 10 cri-
ticise the utterance. Indeed lheie W.
n good deal OF discussion about corr uP
ton In politics. the buying oil Leg
lures. and the free use OF money az m
polls in the purchase OF what was teti'leI
the floating vote. and this LED 10 scFe'es
noetic flights in defence Of the honor oil
Virginia and the good name of those
who have, through all the years repre-
sorted the people I'm the halls of legisla-
ton.
DIR. Henlng. Of Powhatan. and Colonel
noykin. of Isle of Wight. spoke with
warmth and eloquence in opposition to the
change. and in eulogistic terms defended
Senator Martin Colonel Boykin said ne
had never seen any Of those "dark-lan-
tern caucuses nor had he ever known
of the adoption OF other than open ana
honorable means Of bringing ABOUT
nomination. Mr. West, of Suffolk chmed
in with the opposition, and like Colonel
Boykin. Senator Morris. and Dr. Hening'
said he was opposed 10 the election OF sen
ators by the people. The Legislature was
the proper body 10 elect and the caucus
the proper one TO nominate.
MIR. H. NJ Smith Jr.. came near turn
ing the tide against the resolution by a
brief exclamation Of his position. He
was. he said heartily in favor OF nomi-
mating senators by primary and olecting
them by popular vote. and the argument
on that side had not been successfully
met. but he did not think there had been
sufficient discussion of the subject for
mature elaboration. He would there
fore. though heartily in favor Of the
change have to vote against it as at
this time.
Mr.. Maupin opposed the change, and
said there were already too many cleo
tons in Virginia, while Mr. Haw. OF
Hanover like Mr.. Smith. thought 1t un-
wise to force IT to an issue on such short
consideration.
CONGRESSMAN Jones closed the discus
sion for his side. making what he sup
posed the last speech. though the one
that followed proved to be the strongest
on the other side. The Congressman
made a fine argument, in which he re-
futed the contention Of excessive cost,
said the subject had been fully and freely
discussed by the press and people. and
declared that the people were more gene
rally in favor of this vastly important
movement than any that had been before
/ them for q great many years.
Mr.. Gum. the secretary OF the COM
mittee. made a two minute speech for
the resolution. in which he called atten-
| ton to the fact that under the present
plan the Democrats Of the counties that
send Republicans to the Legislature had
no voice whatever In the selection of
senators.
The opponents of the measure en-
deavored TO sde-track il by pressing a
motion made before dinner to appoint
committee OF five to take up all resolu-
lions and draft the platform but Mr.
Jones would not have It so. He had made
a gallant fight and while realizing
that the vote would be close he was de-
termined TO test the matter. Points Of
order were made on him, but he per-
sisted and carried his point for an i'm
mediate vote. while there was full at
| tendance.
met.
SENATOR DANIEL SPEAKS.
It was at this point that Senator Daniel
asked the Indulgence OF the body
for a few remarks. All were glad 10
hear him. though the friends OF the
measure feared that his speech would
prove the most potential influence against
II. The Senator expressed a high sense
| 81 80 h.. n
that had been made to him. and said he
entered upon brief discussion of this
matter with great difidence. The Demo
cratic party. he declared, was overloaded
in both the State and nation with issues.
He felt at Chicago that a mistake was
being made in adopting a platform that
covered entirely too many subjects.
While he subscribed heartily to every
feature Of the platform he felt now, IN
the light of all that occurred in the cam
, naign. that had the fight been made on
the one great issue Of free silver, VIII
liam Jennings Bryan would have been
elected President Applause) He had
exactly the same idea about state poll
tics Too many issues were cumbersome
The Senator said that if vote had been
taken in the Senate two years ago on the
amendment TO elect senators by a di-
voted for it in obedience to what he be-
lieved to be the wish Of a majority
of the people of Virginia. but he would
have done so with much misgiving. II
this was a good rule TO apply to sena'
tors II would apply equally as well &c
Supreme Court Of Appeals judges anC
| other officials not elected by direct vOt,
| Of the people. 1T ought to-" shouted
several voices. Continuing the Senator
said he was not afraid OF the people, h
trusted them, believed in them. anC
would not hold his seat day longer i
he felt that he was not the choice Of Z
majority OF his constituents. The ques
ton was. how TO collect the sentiment o
the people. and he believed the only wa!
was by the representation system, jus
! as Tyler would be nominated for Gov
ernor by representative men sent b!
: their constituents TO record their wishes
II The speaker grew eloquent in pointin,
y out the danger OF tamperlng with gu
system of government, and held that IN
il Senate the body in which state
hood IS represented in its sovereignty
and without regard to numbers or area
was the body that we must look to 70
:, the preservation of free speech. 9TH
= House OF Representatives" he said. IN
:, longer exists. Its members are prisoner
e in Reeds jail" Senator Daniel was pile
!, with questions. several OF which referre
to Mr. Bryans position on this question
This finally led the Senator to declar
that while William Jennings Bryan an
a. Thomas jefferson We're great mer
IL neither of them exhausted al of IN
re fountains OF wisdom. This ended IN
D. debate and the vote was taken, with thi
= / result
N Aves-Messrs w A Jones Marin
u Jones. Wescott, Howard, Hairston. Eli.