The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1897-05-04

be an irreparable calamity to the toll
ing masses to lose it. The founders OF
the republic fondly believed they had
secured it not only for themselves, but
for their p~osterity for all time. If the
advocates of popular government win,
they in turn, still less than the money
power, can rest easy in the victory
with the organic law remaining as it
is. Experience has shown it's weakness
and its insuRciency. There are many
points requiring amendments. 1t
would, be tedious perhaps beyond my
power, to point out any except the
most obvious. The election of United
States Senators by State legislatures
has been so often a p~erverslOn or the
popular choice and a concession to cor
poration influences that the public
sentiment to confer upon the people OF
each State, instead of it's Legislature,
the election of it's Federal Senators Is
confined to no party and to no section.
The bill to amend the Constitution In
that respect has passed the lower
House of Congress more than one and
once, at least. by a unanimous vote.
The corporations have so far been able
to prevent it's passage by the Senate it.
self. The Federal Judiciary, by it's
mode Of appointment especially lays
itself open to the grasp of great mo
nopolies and combinations whose inhu
ence,in such matters is asserted to have
become almost irresistible of recent
years. The life tenure of Office placing
the occupants of the Federal bench be-
yond reach of public complaint If their
trust is abused, and the finally Of their
power as interpreters of the Constitu-
ton and statutes, combine to make it
essential to the great monopolies to
control the appointments in this branch
of the government. There are unq0es-
tionably
MANY ABLE AND SPOTLEsS MEN
on the Federal bench to day, but il has
been asserted, and it must be confessed,
not without much foundation in fact,
that it is rapidly becoming the rule to
fill such positions with men whose life
work has been that of counsel for great
corporations and whose entire training
is calculated to bias them upon all
questions upon which corporation in
terests and popular rights must clash.
One of the incidents Of the coming
struggle will be a determined effort to
make the Federal judges elective by
the people of their respective districts
and circuits and for a term of years.
This change has already been deemed
necessary and decreed by nearly every
State as to its own Judiciary and there
are still stronger and more urgent
reasons why the people should have
more weight and the corporations less
in naming the Federal judges.
Remember that it was the sage Of
Monticello who pointed out the ''sap
ping and mining" which would over
throw the constitution if the ultimate
construction of statutes and constitu-
ton was left to go unrepu6lican ar in
stitution as a body of men who were
selected for life and without the public
having any voice in their selection.
Time has proven his wisdom and ag
gravated the evil he denounced.
There are
TWO GLASSES OF MEN ONLY
who are likely to oppose the election of
I 8 Senators and q. s. judges by the
people: First, there are those who
accept the phrase of q government of
and by the people as q formula merely.
They at heart do not believe the people
are capable of self government, They
would I've have trusted them with
the election of Governors, member of
Congress, or the President, and they
sincerely fear to trust to the voice of
the people the selection of any other
officer whatsoever. The other class is
that whose self interest, personal aspir
atiOns Or orders from those above them
bind to oppose popular acknowledgements
in the selection of Federal Senators and
Judges. Then there is the great trans
p~ortation question. From it's econo-
mic side it is Of vast Importance. By
secret rebates they can build up and
destroy at will cities and individual
fortunes. It is too great a power to be
entrusted to the hands of a few ire
sponsible men, the control of whom is
generally to be centered in that modern
Babylon by the Thames. OF vast i'm.