The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-08-15
SUNDAY. AUGUST Is. 1897.
THE TIMES CoNGRATULATEs ITSELF.
Self graduation is rarely. IL ever, per-

INVISIBLE. but The Times cannot foroear
IN congratulate itself upon the evidence
,,ven IN the Roanoke Convention OF the
result of its work. From the time the
popular wish was thwarted by the defeat
Of General Fftz Lee for the Senate, me
Times raised the cry that the weak spot
I'm our Constitution was Its provision ior
eIecting Senators by the Legislature. lt
preached upon that theme necessarily uh-
III popular interest in the subject mas De-
come aroused to such point that 1t Is
everywhere conceded now that q change
in our method Of choosing Senators Is
coming. There may be no amendment OF
the Constitution, but the Democratic citi-
Gems of Virginia are going TO ADOPT
method for selecting their Senators that
will allow every Democrat in the State
TO express his wishes upon the subject.
The proceedings at Roanoke make that
as clear as day. The measure may be
postponed for more or less time, but 1t
is just as certain that II will be adopted
at no distant day as 1t IS that popular
elections will be continued here.
AS we said. self graduation is not often,
II ever, allowable, but The Times must be
permitted to shake its own hand for Its
part In the discussions that have secured
this result. The Times feels that it did
yeoman's service in the cause and 1t feels
that its service told.
We feel that further argument Of the
case is we'll nigh useless, as the case Is
already won. But we will say a word In
answer TO what Senator Daniel said In
the Roanoke Convention when opposing
the measure. Senator Daniel argued that
as matters now stand. every Democratic
voter has an opportunity to be heard In
the selection OF his Senator by particle
pating in the proceedings for choosing the
conventions that nominate the members
OF the Legislature who select the Senator.
But that is totally illusory and It is to rid
the voter Of the obstacles which that sys-
TEN interposes between him and the man
actually selected as Senator that the
change is desired. The member OF the
convention is first interposed between the
voter and the person who is TO vote for
the Senator. and then the person chosen
by that convention actually votes for the
Senator. There are. therefore, two break
waters between the voter and the sena-
tor, viz, the member of the convention
that nominates the member Of the Legis-
lature and the member OF the Legislature
himself. BY the time the member OF the
Legislature comes 10 vote for the Senator
the conductor has become so thin and
weak that none OF the original fluid is
brought into the case The voters wishes
are wholly lost sight Of In the variety Of
interests that operate upon the legisla-
tors mind. lie votes for Senator as an
Independent factor In the case and not as
the mouthpieee Of the voters who sent
him to the Legislature. II is just that
state of things which the present move
ment seeks to obviate. The present move
ment seeks 10 allow the voter 10 declare
for himself which Of the candidates he
wants as his representative in the United
States Senate. SO that he may not be re-
uuired 50 leave II 10 another man to de-
clare his wishes. who may declare them
or not ss events turn out.
Senator Daniel askej II any one could
point 10 case in which member OF
the Legislature had failed TO vote for a
Senator as his constituents wished, and
he referred in this connection to the cleo
ton OF Senator Martin. saying that the
Ieefslature had made an investigation
or all the charges made in connection with
that election and had given Senator Mar
tin the certificate OF clean record to
stand upon.
But was Che Senator entirely frank In
thu reference7 Does he not know. as all
the peopleof Virginia know. that that in
ytssisation was q farce In which the
committee making the investigation re-
fused to permit the testimony to be
heard that would have disclosed what
chs actual facts OF the case were7 The
reference was . most unfortunate one.
Although the Legislature in that case
declared that no improper procedure had
besn uncovered, every one knew that
Tiers had been transactions which remain
undiseioeed simply because the investi-
eaune committee refused 70 allow evil
Ienee of them 70 b produced before "