Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-04-05

irtemperate reviling of the senate, u
in nassionate expressions OF despair for
the republic" The senator suggests as
remedies: First, that laws should De
enacted Furnishing, by sufficient pen
allies. every senator or representative
who absents himself from the body to
which he belongs for the purpose Of
preventing the exercise of it's constltu-
tional functions, and declaring that
such absences shall operate as a resig-
nation Of the seat; second, the adoption
opportunity to vote in the Senate ana
at the same time secure reasonable de-
bate and reasona bic amendment
When these things are accomplished
we shall have done everything we can
to cure the evil until we shall ele-
vate and purify the character of the
people itself. The stream will not rise
higher than its source"
But while the senator is willing to
admit that the Senate is not perfect
and needs the cooperation OF all good
men to the erd that it may be made
better he does wish it understood that
the Serate has greatly improved. He
once thought to draw in a public speech
a comparison between the Senate today
ard Of the times, which are now spoken
of as the good old times" But when
he delved into the history of some of
the fathers, whose character is now
revered he felt like a ghoul in reviv-
ing the evil stories of an age which
we were accustomed to think so pure. :"
He does, however, call attention to the
ner was stricken down in the Senate
chamber for defending liberty,-"his
comely and beautiful head the target
for a rufIian's bludgeon;" and when
vice president was inaugurated in
a state of maudlin intoxication;
when Sumner likened Douglas to the
noisome squat, ard nameless animal.
who switched his tongue and filled the
Senate with an offensive odor,-therein
quoting an epithet once applied to
Lord North in the House of Commons
And he thinks that I'VE have a right
to say that the evil influences of the
lobby in legislation for private and not
public ends, which, like the ointment of
the hand, bewrayed themselves in the
atmosphere of the Senate chamber and
in it's corridors, are all gone today.
We have a right to say that drunken
ness. which existed when l first en-
tered public life, is not known there to-
day, and that senators no longer bring
whiskey-soaked brains to meet the high
demands of the public service. We
have a right to say that the use of
executive patronage for personal adj
vancement-so that each senator who
supported the administration had
little army of followers devoted to his
personal interests, supported at the
public cost-has gone by. We have a
right to say, also, that if important
legislation. demanded for the public
welfare, is often defeated by obstruc
tive measures or prolonged and need
slavery ruled, and while the strict
state-rights construction prevailed,
such legislation was not even intro
duced and its chances were not worth
considering. We have a right to say
that the work the senators now give to
the public service, day and night. is
constant, hard work which was I'M
known in either House of Congress,
save to very few persons, so years
ago"
Not long ago ex-senator Edmunds
published a strong argument in oppo-
sition to the proposition to have sena-
tors elected by popular vote. Sena-
tor Hoar devotes a portion of this ar
more concisively but none the
less effectively than the arguments.
of Mr. Edmunds. He believes it would
result in the end in the overthrow of
the whole scheme of the national con-
stitution, and at best would virtually
change from the Legislature to the
political convention the power of
choosing the senator.
ticle is a remarkable appeal to the
reason at a time when the Senate needs
such consideration. 1t urges upon us
the fact that it is not so much the
mechanism that is at fault as it is the
men, that these are as good as the
people vote for and much better in
many ways than some who preceded
them and whose memories are now
greatly respected. The patriotism
which buiIded the Union, and the pa
triotsm that saved it, burns brightly
and purely as ever in the bosoms of the
people. The youth who are pressing
forward to take their share in our citi-
zenship are not a whit behind their
sires either in love of their country or
in their capacity to govern it.