The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-01-04
Chasing Rainbows.


The strong Endorsement given by
Governor Hastings to the proposition
that United Senators be elected by
popular vote will doubtless renew pub
lie discussion of this interesting topic.
j is a favOrite argument Of the advo-
Gates of this change that popular elec-
tionS would improve the quality of the
senate; but it is an argument which
has nothing TO support 1t save fond be-
lief. People who cannot be trusted to
elect good and trustworthy represen-
tatiNes could not reasonably be expect
ed t. exercise q finer discernment in
the election Of federal senators. OPP
portunities for corruption and crooked
ness would occur at the polls in fully
as great abundance as they are now
supposed TO occur during the process
of nominating, electing and controlling
a legislative majority; and the change
would work no Improvement whatever.
If senators were to be elected by
popular vote this would be the pro-
cess: State conventions of the vari-
Gus political parties would be called to
choose party senatorial nominees The
candidate controlling a majority of
the delegates to his party convention
would obtain the party nomination.
The convention would be in that case
what the legislative party caucus is
now. The election of delegates to the
state convention would be what the
election of assemblymen is now. There
would be the same wire pulling. the
same bossism, the same lavish use Of
money and the same obnoxious faction
alism which excite criticism under the
existing system; ana the intelligent
voter would find himself put to the
same shameful competition against vo-
ters whose ballots stand for gross ig-
norance or venaity. The system wouli
be changed but the conditions which
make for vicious results in our public
life would remain the same and alb
sOlutely no difference could reasonably
be expected to appear in the character
Of the men thus uplifted to the sena-
torial Office.
The governor doubtless had in mind
the candidacy for reelection of Sena-
tor QUAY whom he now dislikes, and
of whose ability to secure a re-electiOr
on the popular vote basis he possibly
has doubts. Yet brief reflection must
show that these doubts are ILL
founded If Senator Quay We're
running for senator on the popu-
lar plan he would first cap
ture the primaries that chose delegates
TO the state convention, as he did n
year ago he would by this means
control the state convention as he did
year ago; he would next nominate
himself for senator as he last August.
according to his opponents, nominated
Colonel Stone for governor; and as
the candidate of the Republican party
in this keystone Republican common
wealth he would defeat a Democrat as
Colonel Stone defeated Judge jerks.
There would be no perceptble differ
ence in methods or results.
AS we have remarked time and time
again. slightly re-arranging the modus
operandi of politics does not in itself
bring about lasting political reform.
Whether the system in vogue be the
delegate system or the direct election
system, the result will unerrngly be
what the moral status OF the commu-
nifty demands. If the community is slip
shod and careless: if large propor-
ton of it's voters are Indifferent to the
moral significance of the franchise and
are willing to be boodled or stampeded
or tricked into voting for unfit can
ddates, the particular mechanism of
the system will not avail to insure bet
ter results. The people themselves
must be reached and bettered before
their public service will show genuine
and lasting Improvement.
Reformers who trade in new-fangled
systems generally have a personal axe
To grind,
d..