Evening star., 1899-03-20
Three Vacant senate seats.

California has Joined Utah and Della ware
in the matter of incomplete senatorial rep
T-sentatiOn in the next Congress. the state
legislature having adjourned sine die with
"ut having chosen a successor to Senator
White. Thus three vacancies are assured
when the Senate meets in December-earli-
~ If the President should call Congress to-
grther in extra session. The republicans
lose two opportunities to elect in places of
democrats. and the democrats lose one
chance TO elect in place of Il silver republi-
c-n. 1t Is reported now TO be possible that the
governor of California will call an extra
session of the Legislature for the purpose of
si@cting a senator. This expedient ought
C-'rtainly to be tried, and perhaps by adding
10 the burden of responsibility on the legis-
lators whose stubbornness has already pro-
duc-i a reprehensble condition the chance
"t re7etitions of this error will he dimin-
ish"d. The same course might also he fol-
lowed with profit in Utah and Delaware
thus serving notice upon thOse candidates
VIII" have stood in the path of elections that
they have nothing to gain from their course
a. has been determined that the governor
"f the state can not fill such vacancies by
appointment. and Justly So Yet the Con-
stitution says that the Senate of the United
States shall consist of two senators chosen
from each state by the legislatures thereof
ii l. not enough to say that the state which
fails to avail itself of the privilege alone
-dfferS from the deprivation of a senator
snip. The Senate passes in the main upon
questions affecting the entire nation and
but seldom does ii touch upon matters sole
Iy affecting the individual states Thus in
complete representation is d matter which
concerns the people at large equally with
IF Dprrfcul1r II
would be proper to inquire how far this
process of incomplete representa- ton could
go There are now three vacancies practi-
c.lly assured. with fourth daily growing
more imminent If this fourth should come
out of the present Pennsylvania deadlock
III" Senate on reasssmbling would consist
of only ~ members. and not two sena tors
from each state" Suppose each of the thir-
~ states entitled during the present season
10 elect senator's Rad in the same manner
failed in this important duty. a suppOsition
not at all dnwarranted i'm view of the record
Of the past six years. The Senate would
th"n consist Of two senators from each Of
fifteen states and one from each of the
other thirty. making sixty in all. Since
the beginning of tsri the states of Wash
tng;1n. Wyoming. Montana. Delaware. Utah
md California have each failed to perform
the functions assigned by the Constitution
Delaware thus failing twice, while Pennsyl-
Nania is on the verge Of similar failure
Thus seven of the forty-five states of the
Union have in turn demonstrated the futility
OF the existing system. and have strength
ened the hypothesis which has Just been
suggested, of a total disregard of the high
est law. which eIuires thai the Sena e
shall contain twice many members as
there are states. Pending the amendment
which Will prevent continuance of this
Gemoralizing process ii becomes the duty
Vi the governor of state which has thus
Jailed to comply with the Constitution to
bold the legislature In session until a choice
has been expressed.