The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-02-18
| advocate OF the election of Senators by

the people.
MR. wIcKHAM's REPLY.
Mr.. wickham in opposing the bill said
Il oppose IL
First. Because OF certain defects in the
bin itself. which seem irremediable II
j. unconstitutional in that IT discloses
the secrets which under the constitution
! OF Virginia. are designed TO be inviolate.
1.-THE bill requires a red box for Dem
ocratic voters and a yellow box for Re
| publican voters and other colors for 9TH
! or parties presumably green for Popu-
lists. also red and yellow tickets with
other colors FOR other partier.
",The election Is 10 be nj the same time
and place with that FOR members of the
! state Legislature. The use OF the col
ored tickets and boxes must OF necessity
disclose the vote for the state Lesisla-
| ture.
But even II the bill were constitutions
! al. IT is against the policy of the Demo
| cratic party, which has accepted ths
/ Parker bin This Parker bill Is based
, upon the fact that the bulk Of the Re
| publican vote Is ignorant and it Is q
| quasi intellectual qualification upon the
| franchise in effect, because the average
| Republican voter will not accept the as
sislance Of the white judge who prepares
| tickets but will undertake to fix thu bal
| lot himself and most frequently get II
wrong.
But the Rarksdalo bill renders this alb
! solutcly nugatory. because every Repub-
, lican voter will know that his ballot for
a senator Of the United states will be yell
low which color he can see and select
without aid, and the yellow ballot IN the
yellow box will show just how many
votes the Republican candidate for the
State Legislature had cast or attempted
! TO be cast for him in the general box.
BAD PARTY POLICY.
1T is bad party policy 10 have heat
ed contest for 50 high and powerful an
office within their party when they have
an enemy in front TO successfully con-
tend with which they should be united
and present "a solid front instead Of be
/ ing torn by internal dissensions.
In proportion 10 the magnitude OF the
! office will be the passion of the contend
/ ing factions and the loser will be sore.
| The danger is that In This fratricidal
! strife the party will be defeated.
Second The plan f. unsatisfactory
! judged by our experience. In the few
/ places IN the Stat where they had
! primary this last fall the community
was left divided, the party weakened and
I a contest before the General Assembly
/ resulted in every case. So nothing was
| really gained.
Third II is new and a dangerous
! change from the established and consti-
tutional rule that has prevailed since the
! foundation of the government was laid.
while under this bill the. Legislature
Will stll elect yet II VIII in reality be-
. come simply the register of the vote and
lose the discretionary power vested I'm II
| by the Constitution Of the United states,
Article l.. section 8, chapter l..
We should consider the history OF this
Instrument by sages who have
/ challenged the wonder of all succeeding
/ ages at their wisdom almost inspired.
The convention met IN Philadelphia.
May A. 1857. ana completed their labors
on September Il. Washington, deputy
from Virginia uresi6ed.
"Tae greatest. noblest and the best,
The Cincnnatus of the West
Who eft the lame OF Washington
II make men blush there was but one"
"The situation Of tie League of Friend
ship. called by courtesy the United States
Of America was critical in the ex-
IRENE In fact, they were anything but
united. They were divided-bitteriy hos
tile and Jealous Of each other. Robert
Morris. the great financial minister. had
resigned for the expressed reason that
he would not be minister of dishOnor
In the very outset the existence Of the
convention was threatened. The small
Statcs-among them New York (Which
was then ranked as a small State
threatened withdrawal. and New York ac-
tually did withdraw
"'rne first contest was between the
small States and tho large States.
THE VIRGINIA PLAN.
Virginia. the largest. presented her
plan, or the large State plan. New Jer-
sey presented the small state plan.
THE Virginia plan contemplated a SEN
ate and House of Representative basng
the representation in both houses on pop
ulation and thus giving the large States
control of both. The New Jersey plan
contemplated but one representative body.
wherein the vote should be 10y states and
not by numbers. Governor Randolph Of
fered a modification of the Virginia plan.
whereby those who could vote for the
popular branch of the State Legislature
should elect members of the lower house,
and those thus selected should choose
two Senators from themselves.
"Thc large States had a majority in
| the convention and at nrst gave the
smaller States time TO consider, and the
convention took up other subjects. About
the middle Of July. however. the repre-
sentatives from the large States deter
mined 10 press their plan through. The
smaller States got together as one man,
as we have seen the men from the South
side get together when danger threaten
| ed them They determined to break up
| the convention Connecticut, a small
State, which had Heretofore been acting
with the large States. proposed a COM
promise: That there should be two houses
| representing the States-one based on
population and the other giving an equal
| vote TO each State. the members of which
were TO be chosen by the legislature
| taking the idea from their own system TO
| check and balance the town and county
vote In their own State IN Connecticut
a system prevailed whereby the town
house was chosen by n popular vote, and
| the other house by n plan which gave
the towns and cities an equal vote with
| the rural districts. Thus. in order to Keep
their system complete ana give all divi-
sions of their state due representation
| and voice i'm the selection OF those who
were speciallv to represent the sovereignty
! Of their state in the national assembly.
"Ths compromise was accepted. ana
! that has been the fundamental law ever
| since.
TIMES HAVE CHANGED.
Mr.. President. times nave changed.
! Virginia is no longer the dominant power
We are no longer among the large
| states. viii we not have wisdom enough
TO emulate the small States of that
Great dav and stand fast and forever