The San Francisco call., 1898-05-25
THE ELECTION OF SENATORS.

THE vote taken in the House of Representatives
 on the proposed constitutional amendment pro
 viding for the election of United States Senators by direct of the people resulted III I64 ayes 10 II noes. This near an approach to unanlmlty that it has had the effect of rousng public interest Ill the subject notwithstanding the war, and 1t IS now being discussed in the East issue likely to be pressed to settlement in the near future.
 The overwhelming majority in the House in favor of the change certainly surprising, for while It has been under consideration for long time, the general supposition has been that the conservatism ot the country was against it and that there little pros pect of its adoption. This view, however, has been apparently ill-founded The Republican party repre- sents the conservative element of the people, and the House the conservative branch of Congress. There fore when the House. with its strong Republican ma ority goes almost solidy n favor o the change, 1t is clear that conservatism itself is ready to accept it.
 A multitude of considerations have combined to bring about this unexpected agreement among men or all parties in the House in favor ot what would be radical alteration in the constitution. The charges ot bribery in Senatorial elections have become so com mon and some of them clearly so well founded that many would like the system of election by Legs atures abolished for the sake of getting rid ot the attendant corruption In other cases ambitious men in the House who aspire to the Senate believe they would Dctter chance Oi suCICss Il 'oS left directly to the people. third class IS so discon tented with the Senate at present constituted that if would welcome almost any change in its mode ot election as means of obtaining change Tn the kind of men elected
 Along with these reasons for desiring a change there is the further and more important that the Senate has now become in every respect the most potent and notable branch of Congress By reason of the pressure of business upon it the House has long since given up all attempts at genuine debate Ii is no longer deiberave assembly. Its bills are nrenared in committees and when reported are put through with rush This system necessary for the prompt transaction of business has deprived orators of all opportunity for the exercise of their and the display of their talents who cannot speak at all has as much chance for success in the House to-day as would one who had the eloquence Of Clay and the logic of Webster
 Ii is different in the Senate Tn that body all inl- nortant bills are thoroughly discussed It is through the Senatorial debates that the country learns the nature of the measures before Congress. This of course increases public interest in the Senate and gives the Senator more commanding position than is enjoyed by the member of the House, who Is per haps never permitted to speak at all any subject whatever from the time he enters Congress until he l>outs it From this condition of affairs there comes desire to bring the Senate into direct responsibility to the people This desire to be shared by al mos. every man in the House Certainly vote of 184 to IT is sufficient evidence that the change will not meet with any great opposition among the states men and the politicians of the country who being now out of the Senate have ambition to enter it. l