The Portland daily press., 1898-05-12
PEOPLE TO ELECT SENATORS.
The House Overwhelmingly in Favor of
Proposition.

PEOPLE.TO ELECT SENATORS.
The House Overwhelmingly in Favor of
Prop position.
Washington, May -l.-After refusing
today to consider the Senate bill restrict
ing immigration, the House took up and
devoted the session to the House resolu-
ton to submitssto the states proposition
to amend the Constitution so as to pro-
vide for the election of Senators by q di-
rect vote. The amendment as proposed
in the resolution reported to the House
left it in the discretion of the states to
through their legislatures. but an amend
ment by Mr.. Underwood of Alabama,
making election by popular vote manda-
tory was adopted and the resolution was
then passed.
Washington, May 11.-Many delegates
and visitors to the Southern Baptist con-
vention recently lin session at Norfolk,
were in the galleries when the House
met today.
Mr.. Danforth of Ohio, chairman of the
immigration and naturalization commit
tee, called up for consideration the Sem
ate bill amending the immigration laws.
Mr.. Batholdt of Missouri, raised point
of order against considering the bill on
the ground that the Senate bill had never
been referred to the House committee and
since 1t differed materially from the i'm
migration bill reported by the House COM
mittee, the Senate measure could not be
considered prior TO. it's reference to the
House committe.
Mr.. Danfo-th insisted that the bills
were substantially the same and argued
they had the same common purpose and
the differences were subordinate.
The Speaker overruled the point made
by Mr.. Bartholdt. =
The House then voted against present
consideration of the bill 4s to 80
Mr.. Loud called up the post office ap:
preparation bill as passed yesterday by
the Senate. and upon his motion the
House refused to concur to the Senate
amendments and asked for a conference.
Mr.. Cummings, Democrat of New
ohusetts, MIR. Bingham, Republican of
Pennsylvania and Mr.. Pitney, Republi.
can Of New Jersey, expressed opposition
to the Senate amendments limiting the
deliveries in cities to four and eliminat-
ing the House provision for rural free de-
livery. Messrs. Loud, Smith of Illinois
and Swanson were named as conferees for
the House.
The House then went into the commit
tee of the whole to consider the Senate
bill amending the revenue law providing
for the disposal of abandoned imports
turned over by importers to the customs
officials. The amendment would make
the importers deliver the abandoned i'm
ports at any point in the port of arrival
directed by the chief officers of customs
failure to comply entailing disposal of
the abandoned property at the expense of
the impoter. The bill passed.
Mr.. Corliss of Michigan called up the
House resolution proposing an amend
ment to the Constitution providing for
election of Senators by popular vote.
Mr.. Corliss asserted that the election of
United States Senators in some states is
Immediately followed by resolutions of
Investigation, which in turn results in
a "Kalsomining" or "Whitewash. He
referred to the baneful effects of those
conditions and claimed the House was
now the conservative body In Congress,
sagaoity and skill of the presiding officer
of the House.
Mr.. Underwood, Democrat Of Ala
bama, offered an amendment making a
direct vote alone the method for choosing
Senators.
Mr.. Grosvenor, Republican of Ohio,
expressed the conviction that some fixed
method should be established and referred
to the.pendiDg bill as leaving it In the dis
cretion Of the legislature whether they
themselves would elect the Senator'S or
would provide election by direct vote.
Thus, he said, the choice OF a Senator
might be made from time to time by the
legislatures "a political football.
Mr.. Ridgeley, Populist OF Kansas, OPP
posed the Und erwood amendment.
Mr.. Powers, Repu blican OF Vermont,
advocated fixed universality OF method
Of election and supported the Underwood
amendment.
Speaking of the influence of "bosses''
in state legislature. Mr.. Power was In
terrupted with question as to bosses in
the Verm ont legislature and he produced
a wake Of applause by replying:
II am happy to say that we never have
had bosses In Vermont, but we developed
one week ago last Sunday when Com.
modore Dewey won the battle OF Manila. p"
Mr.. Henderson, Republican of Iowa,
advocated the Underwood amendment.
II shall vote for this bill and the
amopd,,,opt boca11se III will remove de.