The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-04-30

OF the neople and declares by this act that
the people are incompetent 20 select rep
resentatiyes TO elect their choice Tor
United States Senator'S they are Obliged
to admit that tho people are incompetent
70 elect representatives 70 carry out tneir
wishes in making laws II our legislators
can be corrupted By corporations - a. 70
elect Senator's tho people do not want
then these same legislators can be cor
rupted by the corporation so as u support
measures the people do not want. II You
once admit there is no such thing as get
ting pure representatives, II You admit
there is no such thing as electlng men,
bers of the LEGISLATURE who viii carry our
thu instructions of the people they repre-
sent YOU will have 10 support tho initia-
tive and referendum. The trouble. n any.
Hes in the fact that largo majority ~
the people do not take proper Interest IN
politics. II is not a change N plan We
need Of electine our United States Sen'-
tors but II is A revival Of interest IN mo
study Of our political and constitutional
history. the introduction OF clVu govern
ment and political economy into our pr'-
vate and public schools. tho study ~ The
biographies % our great Statesmen. ana
revival ~ patriotism. and 10 keen bright
~ burning the camp fires OF liberty a.
handed down 10 MS by our forefathers.
our Young men should be thoroughly
educated 10 the duties OF citizenship.
spotloss character should he tho stand
ard by which an representatives, as. weil
as all ofhcc-holders are measured Men
should not he elected 10 any position ~
nubllc trust that YOU would not have "a
your chief clerks so far as honesty ana
Integrity go. Notice also that the Popu-
list platform declares in favor OF govern
ment ownership Of railroads ana tele-
graphs. II believed our legislators were
as corrupt and thwarted the vii OF ne
neopie as much AZ the supporters - The
Nav conference. would also endorse
this Populist plank II our Legislatures
are dominated bv railroad influences and
the people are not powerful enough TO
elect men who cannot be controlled by
such Influences. there IS no other alterna-
tive but for the government 10 own me
railroads The supporters or me MAY
conference and tho Popul'sts have the
same line of reasoning that is. the people
cannot elect representatives to carry our
their wishes and instructions. II Is
well known fact that some Of tho leading
advocates Of tho measure under Discus
sion are I'm favor Of the election of United
States Judges bv a direct vote ~ the neo-
pie and opposed 20 life tenure OF ohio"
The danger lies not $50 much in one
amendment 10 the constitution. bur in me
innovation I'm the abandonment ~ the
great princinlos upon which our govern
ment f. founded. According 10 the
reasoning Of the supporters of ne May
conference. why have any Senate ar an2
WHY NOT have ono representation BODY
, elected by the people % mako an laws
WHY not have the President and an The
Judges elected by direct vote ~ Tho poo
ple2 1.-THE people arc supreme they
| argue The advantages derived from tho
conservatism OF the Senate and an no
ideas Of our forofathers who favored the
constitution as Il stands counts for moth
ms
+ believe in the Senate As 1t stands
| bodv OF moro conservatism. t1e member
' shin with longer terms. N superior ability.
and f,rthc- removed from rho people than
the House of Representatives. cannot
better Illustrate my idea than nv quoting
! from The Fedcralist. No. LNll mus
far havs considered the circumstances
r.bicb mint out the necessity % a well
constructed Senate. only as they relate 20
| the REPRESENTATIVES of the people. To
! naonlo as little blinded By prejudice. or
corri.ted bv fattcry. as those whom I
address. 7 shall not scrupie 20 add mat
such an institution may he sometimes
necessary. rs defense 20 the people
against their own temporary errors ana
decisions IA the cool and deliberate
sense OF the community ought. IN All gov
ernments and actually viii. In an ireH
governments. ultimately prevail over the
views u its rulers: so there are particular
moments IN public AFFAIRS. when tho peo-
ME stimulated BY some Irregular passion
or some Illicit advantage. or misiead by
| the artful misrepresentation OF interested
men. may call for measures which they
themselves will afterwards be tho most
ready 10 lament and condemn.
II we Judge by the results OF the Sens.
toriai primary plan IN the states that
have tried 4 Wa see nothing 10 commend
II 10 our favor. Does II mako Senators
Of more ahTlty7 Compare the Senators
elected under this plan with those that
once flied their places. Look 20 'he
States OF the Union who In large meas
ure control the senate. and see how many
have adopted this plan. South Carolina
has. OF course. and you could expect
nothing better Of State who SENDS
Senator Tillman 10 Washington. a man
SO extreme ia his views that he was hlssed
bv the last Democratic National Con-
vention. Are her present senators SUI
n.rior 10 wade Hampton and ". G. But
iero Are the senators from Georgia SUI
perlor 20 men like Ben Hill and Alexander
stephens What evidence have we tha.
should the people elect the Senators By
direct vote that the ability ~ the Senate
would he improved and that the Deop's
would be especially benefited? For the
above and many other reasons oppose
any change I'm our presnt method Of
electing Senators.
sunolk. va. J. r. WEST.