Arizona republican., 1899-04-11
PHOENIX, APRIL II. 1859.
UNITED STATES SENATORS.

Mr.. John J. ingalls,, who dubbed him
self several years ago as "a statesman
out of a job and who has never had
a political job since, is now devcting
much of his energy-and he is man OF
mental vigor, although it is too often
nisapplied-to writing for The newspa-
pers. He is popular specialist in that
capacity and commands a good salary
His style IS attractive and he always
finds readers. although when ne at
tempted to pose as a reporter OF prize
fight he revealed taat he was altogeth-
er out of his clement A few days ago,
however, Mr.. Ingalls, appeared in PRINT
in a caustic paper on the recent con-
tests for United States senators. His
theme was the election Of senators di-
rect by the people, and in that respect
he was writing along line that fn0s
a place IN newspapers all over the
country and of every possible political
shade of belief He concluded thus:
seThe time has come for the people to
resume their power There is no rea-
son why senators should not be chosen,
as the governors of states are elected,
by plurality vote at the polls, at the
general election in November pTeced-
ing the expiration of the term. There
would then be no deadloclls, no fEtLe
sessions wasted in fac..Onal fights no
wholesale corruption, no dark horses,
no tongue-tied mon0polists in the seats
of the mighty.
This does not imply that the major
ity c. the senatorial elections are not
clean, nor that constituencies are not
in general honorably represented, ncr
that the public service of the country
is not upon a high plane CT moray,
but recent developments have resulted
in an unmistakable distrust Of the
methods of choosing senators by Iegis-
latures and an equally strong senti-
ment in favor Of their election by The
direct vote OF the people"
1t is true that IN most of the states
the legislatures this year elected
United States senators without any IN
seemly disputes and without any
odium. The legislatures that suggest
ed scandal were i'll she minority, but
there were too many instances, all the
same, where charges of wrong doing
were made There were enough of such
instances to impress upon the people
the wisdom OF amending the federal
constitution by placing the election of
United States senators in the hands of
tbs people.
We have no faith that such an
amendment can be brought about for
long time. The stumbling block would
be the United States senate itself,
largely made up of men who could
never expect to return there if the peo-
pie spoke for themselves at the polls !
That being SO we mus struggle along
as best we can until the people of the
several states make up therr minds to
see to it that men eleCced to legisla-
lures shall be men who can be trusted
to vote only for the right kind of men
for United States senators. The legis- !
4ative scandals this year in connection |
with the election Of senator's should |
bring about a determination to elect
better men to state legislatures, or
rather men Who will stand for the !
best interests of their party by voting
for party candidates of the best char
acter and not for men upon personal
lines.
There has been far too much in the
way Of "holdups," and the conclusion
has at last been. reached by a consider
able number of right-minded Ameri-
can citizens that the present method of
electing United States senator's has be
come cbsolete-that it is a menace to
national morality, party organization
and good government