The Utah County Democrat. [volume] (Provo City, Utah) 1898-1909, 1899-02-04


the moral stencil arising from thes
elections that II Is alleged by some tina
even the man IN the moon has beer
seen 10 hold his nose while that orl
passes over the States during these con
tests. Public sentiment has SO IA
crystaIized upon the question Of chang
ing the manner OF elecIing these bigt
officials by direct vote Of the people
that for more than two years Congress
siODal action has been invoked ~ The
form Of resolutions looking to the
amendment OF our fundamental law
Expressive Of this popular sentiment
was the action taken by the Fifiy-third
Congress. The House OF Representa-
lives, composed OF one hundred Demo
cratic majority, passed "a resolution IL
so amend the Constitution that the
people should elect the senators land
be IL -aid TO the praise OF Democracy,
hut two members Of that party cast
their votes against the measure.
As illustrative Of the sentiment pre-.
vailing among that great body Of re-
preventative Democrats, l will give a
few extracts from the committees re-
port favoripg the adoption OF that reso-
luton:
"rhe public press for years (ln each
recurring year. nas been teeming with
legislative scandals in the election OF
SENATORS, until bribery and corruption
are, we fear, in some localities, fast be
coming recog lied as a part of the leg
islative function. while the capacity of
the pockel-book, rather than that Of
the head is regarded in like places as
the measure OF Senatorial equipment.
Committees Of investigation and
the grand iuries Of the States have been
unwilling or unable to detect the
frauds, so sklful have the manipu.
lators OF It become, until at last an
outraged public sentiment has become
aroused and have found It's just expires
sion in the proposed amendment.
"The money which corrupts by pur-
chase the member of the legislature
for Senatorial elections. has debauched
him as a servant " the people he Is
sworn 20 serve In local legislation. The
corporation that can enter The halls OF
a legislature and lay It's unhoy hands
upon the members. claiming them as
its own in the selection Of senator.
has already destroyed the hope OF a
pure administration OF the local affairs
OF the people of that State by polluting
the source from which such admins
tration is derived"
''If the charges of corruption IN SEN
atorlai elections are true. the reflex &c.
tion on the legislation Of the States.
incident to such corruption. must be
In It's destruction OF the
rights and liberties Of the people Of the
State"
And again:
49, radical In some sections of the
has the feeling OF hostility to
The Senate become, that the sentiment
Is freely expressed. that the Senate has
outllved its career of usefulness in the
government"
"Uuder It's present mode Of organiza-
tion. and election, each year, but adds
10 the strength Of the argument that
the Senate should. by change in the
mode Of It's election, be made more
iensibly responsible TO the demands
aud voice Of the people,"
The resolution passed the House by
IN overwhelming majority. and went
INTO the Senate. where three or tour
sugar trust and corporation Demo-
cratic Senators jolued with all the Re.
publican Senators, voted II into a pi-
yeon hole where II now SAUNDERS. not
again to be awakened perhaps until
Utah shall add two Democratic Sen.
liors, elected, ] trust, in effect by the
vote Of the people.
Another cause for popular sentiment
putting these elections directly In the
hands Of the people, Is the dead-locks
md prolonged delays In passing need
I'd laws by State legislatures. often taxi
ng lp the entire time of their session,
,ften ending in final adjournment
without enaciinr needed laws or elect
ng senator, thus leaving that com.
without a representative
n that moist important body. We can
readily recall the published scenes of
Ihe past two years, enacted In our
States Of Wyoming, Mon
Jana and Idaho. as well as more remote
States 10 the Union. The two former
States failed entirely to elect Sen.
ltor after worse than wasting the
sixty days OF their time. Worse than
waste, because they did blacken the
good name OF their State, and retard
he progress OF popular free govern.
nent in the hearts OF their people.
The naming or indicating the per-
sous we des re the Democratic legisla-
ure 10 elect as Senators will. OF course
place no legal or Constitutional obll-