New-York tribune., 1899-12-18
CHOOSING SENATORS AT PRIMARIES.

The subject of reform in the method OF
electing United States Senators has been 1or
long time in the public mind. Failures OF Legis-
Iatures to elect and the frequent charge of cor
ruption in case Of candidates triumph after
n long contest have caused dissatisfaction Win
tbe constitutional system. In the elections OF
last winter Pennsylvania. Delaware, utah ana
California failed TO fill their vacancies III tle
upper house. The long legislative struggles
brought in their train the usual scandals, the
lnsidious charges of bribery, not to be proved
or disproyed. which have done so much 10
weaken public faith in the institution IN states
which have undergone such experiences Ihe
senator from another Staten -Montana-where
an election was reached under difficulty carries
with him 10 Washington the scandai stirreu up
in his home Legislature.
The result Of legislative election was doubt
less more unsatisfactory last winter than ever
before, but neither in the system itself nor III
the condition of American politics Is any prom
ise of immediate betterment People turn nat
urally for a remedy 10 a constitutional amend
ment providing for election of Senators by
popular vote bill with that end Is now be-
fore the United States Senate. 1t is, Of course.
the simplest and most direct device, but 1t is
necessary to observe that the amendment OF
the United States Constitution is the most difll-
cult accomplishment In American politics. The
first twelve amendments are practically part OF
the original instrument They were adopted
Immediately after the organization OF the
United States. to remedy defects In the Con-
stitution which became evident as soon as
government under it was put into practice. 1t
took the Civil War to bring about conditions
which made the adoption Of the other three
amendments possible. There Is no reason to
expect that the present bill will meet with
more favorable reception in the Senate than did
its predecessors. That house Is conservative, ana
So while it may recognize and deplore evils In
cident to the present system Of electing Sen
ators. it is far from convinced Of the wisdom
of so radical a change as election by popular
vote.
But though the letter Of constitutions come
to have a sanctity constitutional institutions
show marked growth and change. What time
cannot blot out 1t interprets. Something like
this. in a modest and unobtrusive way. is GO
ing on in some States regarding the method OF
electing Senator's In call for primaries for
the Democratic State Convention OF North Caro-
lima. lust issued, the State Committee has re-
ferred to Democratic voters at the primaries the
question of adopting the plan Of selecting the
party's candidate for United States Senator at
a general primary all over the State 1t Is pro-
posed to hold this primary, If the course is ia
vored, and probably it will be. at the general
election next November At such primary the
voters would select by ballot their candidate for
Senator, and the Legislature would have its
functions clipped by party authority to electng
the man already chosen. That system is not
popular election and it is not legislative elec-
ton. The Legislature goes through its FORM
but its function is atrophied. The change is
parallel to that which has taken place in the
method Of elect.ng the President. The electors
no longer elect as they once did They merely
20 through the formality Of carrying out the
popular will already expressed.
The plan proposed in North Carolina is not
new The interest in the news lies in the fact that
this reform promises to spread to another State
1t has been in operation for several years in
South Carolina, and for a shorter period in
Mississippi. Senator McLaurin, Of South Caro-
lima, and Senator Sullivan, Of Mississippi, were
chosen at primaries This system is popular In
the South, but, at best, its adoption there Is
slow.