The Topeka state journal., 1899-04-03
John j. ingalls, Scores th'
Present System
OF EIecting z. s. Senators by
Legislative Vote In
UNMEASURED TERMS,
Pays His Respects to Addicks,
Quay and Their Glass.
Declares For a Choice by POpu-
lar Vote.

New York April 3.-The Journal pub
| lises the following:
BY JOHN JAMES INGALLS,.
The fathers and founders of the Re-
public and the trainers of the constitu-
ton have been apotheosized as the Gre
ators of a new system of political lib
erty and popular self-government. No
doubt they deserve reverence and eu-
1ogy. Among the builders of nations
they stand pre-eminent; but the fact
remains that they were monarchistS
and aristocrats at heart, and had little
| faith either in the intelligence of the
common people or their capacity to
govern themselves. They believed that
wealth, education and brains, rather
than numbers and majorities, should Sc
lect the rulers and direct the energies
of the nation, and SO they committed
the choice of president and vice presi-
dent to a college of electors, to be ap-
pointed by the states and provided that
senators should be chosen by the Iegis-
latures rather than directly by the peo-
| pie.
In theory the electoral college was to
assemble on given day at the differ
ent capitals and in secret session choose
president and vice president, the
conclaVe of cardinals selects pope.
The people were to be entirely excluded.
They were to have no part nor lot, nor
voice in the matter. This was the con-
sent of the governed. The electorate
were to have nothing more to do with
the election of the chief magistrate
church in the choice of their supreme
pontiff.
THEORY AND PRACTICE
But democracy soon demolished this
clumsy device, and since 1925 it has
been obsolete. Through the successive
stages of private caucus, legislative
caucus, congressional caucus and the
perfected organization of township,
county, state and national nominating
conventions, the people have abolished
the electoral college. The machinery re-
mains, but the electors are the servants
and not the masters. They meet and
vote, but their functions are divert
ing anachronism- The elector who
should now do what the trainers of the
constitution intended he should dO-ex-
ercise his own judgment-and in do
ing vote for any other man than the
| candidate named by the party of which
he is a member, would OutclaSS Judas
IscariOt in the execration of mankind.
Had a Bryan elector cast his vote for
Mckinley, or a Mckinley elector cast
his vote for Richard Croker, as each
had the constitutional, clear right to do.
it is difficult to estimate the measure of
the penalty which popular indignation
would have inflicted.
This is one of the many unwritten
amendments to the constitution which
have so changed that venerable instru-
ment that George Washington and the
| other deputies would with difficulty
recognize their work. The senate is
undoubtedly the most impressive and
dignified body in our political system.
Sharing executive power In the rat1hca-
ton of treaties and the confirmation
of the appointments of ambassadors,
Judges and other officers, it has gradu-
ally encroached upon the prerogat1VeS
| of the president and dictates the policy
of administrations. In our dual scheme
the senate represents the states as po-
litical entities and as the states nave
increased in population, wealth and
power the senate has assumed a supre-
macy and pre-eminence not contem-
plated by it's inventors.
A NATIONAL SCANDAL
The length of the term and the condi-
| tions have made its membership the
| object of supreme desire, and as it is
easier to manipulate a legislature than
to convince a constituency, the ten
dency to bigotry, corruption, intrigue,
plots and cOnspiracieS has increased
till senatorial elections have become the
scandal and reproach of republican gov
| ernment. The whole purpose and design
| of the constitution is thwarted. The
popular will is disregarded- States are
misrepresented or deprived of their law
full representation by loatheSome Strug-
giles that lack the dignity of a dog fight
| in the gutter and are surpassed in i'm
| morality only by the contests of Monte
! Carlo.
! Delaware presents a typical illustra-
| ton of these malign and insupportable
! evils. The legislature for a few years
! past has been Republican. The state
! has many eminent citizens of that po-
| litical faith, qualified by attainments,
! experience and service for the senate,
! but ] Edward Addicks has for the third
! time deadIocked the legislature. The
| first time he prevented an election The
second time he caused a Democrat to be
Z elected, and now he has deprived the
| state of a Republican successor to
| Gray. and adds that two years hence he
| will be a candidate again.
| J. Edward Addicks! Phoebus, what a
namei
To fill the speaking trump of future
fame!
| is a citizen of Delaware for political
| purposes only. He has made his money
| and won his previous triumphS else
| where He is a peripatetic statesman
| who has hitherto operated in gas stocks
! in Philadelphia Having bought a fran
chise and corraled aldermen, his fancy
/ took a broader flight, and he concluded
| to purchase a, senatorship in Delaware.
| Does anyone suppose that J. Edward
| AddickS was the choice of the people of
! Delaware for this position? Is there
! any citizen of the United States who
| does not know that the only reason why
| ne is a candidate is his bank account?
! Has he ever, with voice or pen or coun-
! sell advocated Republican doctrines?
| Has he any claim to craftsmanship,
| knowledge of public affairs, capacity
| for speech that renders him indispen-
sable to the public service? OF course,
| such an assumption would be prepoS-
| ferrous and yet this unspeakable crea-
| ture, with his selfish, impudent pre-
| tensions. deprives the party OF Whlcn
/ the senate for two years, as he has the
| right and power to do under the consu-
| tuition.
SOME DEADLOCKED STATES