The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-04-09
and has adjourned, leaving a vacancy,
which Is a Republican loss.
THE CASE OF OIrAy

ana mas adjourned, leaving a vacancy,
which Is Republican loss. +
THE CASE OF QUAY.
In Pennsylvania. the second state of the
onien. with legislature Republican.
months have been wasted in q
most degrading wrangle between Onav
ana MS adversaries, causing an obstinate
deadlock, with humiiating Investigations
rehectlng upon the honor and integrity OF
the whole commonwealth. Meanwhile the
term has expired, and Pennsylvania has
but one senator.
In Kentucky. two years ago, the fight
over Blackburn's successor came near
precipitating civil war and ended in d
discreditable compromise -
George III. Pendleton was a candidate
for reelection in 1855. and the undoubted,
choice Of the Democracy of Ohio for the
succession He was defeated by Henry Il.
Payne-everybody knows how. Z
Another phenomenon In the same state
was the election Of Calvin S. Brice to the
senate He was practically a resident of
New York. He had no training in public
analrs. During the six years of his in
cumbency he was as dumb as the sheep
before the shearers, and opened not his
mouth. But he was a practical business
man, hxer," and he fixed the Ohio leg
islature with. the same calculating COM
Pooui o LHdl lie ellplOyeQ IN HXlng boards
or railroad directors. The people of Ohio
We're. not consulted The performance
was a. sardonic travesty on representative
self-gOVernment. b..
When the senate was organized in 1879
ten states were represented, with twenty.
senators. In 1893 Tucker said in debate
that the number would probably never
exceed fifty There are now ninety sem
ators from forty-five states, with New
Mexico. Arizona, Oklahoma, the Indian
Territory, Cuba, Porto Rico. Hawaii and
the Philippines In posse
TINE FOR A CHANGE.
The time has come for the people to
resume their power There is no reason
why senator's should not be chosen as
the governors of states are elected by
plurality vote at the polls, at the gem
eral election in November preceding the
expiration of the term. There would
then be no deadlocks. no futile sessions
wasted in factional fights, no wholesale
corruption. no dark horses, no tongue
tied monopolists in the seats of the
mighty. +.
This does not imply that the ma jority
of the senatorial elections are not clean.
nor that constituencies are not in gem
eral honorably represented nor that the
public service of the country is not upon
a high plane of morality, but recent de-
taxable distrust of the method of choos-
Ing senator's by legislatures, and an
equally strong sentiment in favor OF
their election by the direct vote of the
people.
Not the least of the evils attending the
present system is the decentralization of
T the sordid and mercenary elements of
society. the boodlers and heelers, the pi-.
rates and brigands, who make politics a
trade, and are for sale 20 whaever will
pay the most money.
Sir Robert Walpole. who had probably
more experience in the purchase of leg
isatures than any other gentleman of
his time. always insisted, with some
what brutal candor. that such transac-
lions were justiiable from the moral
standpoint, because, if member of par
lament was for sale. unless you bought
him, the other side would. and then the
wrong might triumph.
This is-seTenious and consoling. Per-
haps 1t is not wholly devoid of truth.
Sometimes we must do evil that good
may come. but the prayer of the politi-
clan should be not to be led into tempta-
ton.