Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-02-03
SENATORIAL DEGRADATION
AND LEGISLATIVE CORRUPTION.
A REMEDY.

The present method of electing
United States Senator is obsolete. 1t
should have been changed years ago.
In an age when purity, honesty and in
telllgence predOminated in State Leg
lslatures it was perhaps very good
way to select Senators. But in this age
OF practical politics where puppets oc-
cupy seats through the muniticence of
Senatorial candidates it certainly is in
i'll accord with the intentions of our
fathers. In the personnel of modern
legislators we have these puppets, of
but little character, then number of
Venal men with itching palms, that
should be in Jail instead of in the leg
islature, and obscured and overridden
by these INSCRIPTIONS elements, are
often found some honest, conscientious
men, who seem strangely out of place
and no doubt feel so.
If reports of the last few years are
true, the most lonesome place on earth
for a strictly honest man could be in a
State legislature.
The present method of electing
Senator was a perfect one in the days
when the office sought the man, but in
this age, where the man seeks the office
=
fit, it is decidedly imperfect.
%@-A
The evils attending the election Of a
Senator are so we'll known that to
dilate upon them is but waste of time.
The standard of the United States SEN
ate has fallen and sinks lower with
each election under our present sys-
TEN.
The polished gentleman, the scholar
and the statesman are disappearing be-
fore the boodler, the gilded blockhead,
the political junk dealer, the briber,
the corrupter and the unconvicted
criminal. If Justice would arouse from
her lethargy and in her blind accuracy
make an immediate distribution of her
gifts, how many United States Senators
would find striped suit of clothes
awaiting on their desks next morn
ing?
Not only is the Senate being degrad-
ed by our present system of election.
but so tiercely are these contests of cor
ruption waged that the individual
states are sufferers-both in morals
and in money.
State legislation is made subordinate
to these disgraceful contests The af-
fairs of state are forgotten until
political abortion has been performed
and United States Senator produced.
The calmness and reason that should
follow are often tainted and biased to
such an extent that its impress is felt
upon the legislation that follows.
~
There never was any particular rea-
SCH why a Senator should be elected
by a Legislature. There was nothing
advanced showing that this was the
best way.
In the Constitutional Convention
three ways were suggested, why
popular vote, by Legislature. and by
the House of Representative from can
didates suggested by the Legislature.
This last method was offered by and
known as the Virginia plan.
The second plan, as now exists.
was adopted, and the reason for it has
never been clearly set forth, as the
discussion upon this point was very
meagre. Judge Story supposed that
this method was adopted for the pur-
pose Of making a closer connection be-
tween the State and national govern
ments. Judge Kent, along similar
lines, drew the inference that by this
plan the States as States were equally
represented.
1t has been remarked that Chancel-
lor Kent's opinion may be erroneous.
for the reason that the Senator's vote