The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-04-05

enough to believe that these elevne Re
publicans betrayed their party and aban-
doned it's candidate without compensation?
Had Clarke been a miner with pick, in
stead of mining Croesus, would he hold
the credentials as the Senator form Mon
tana?
After a long unseemingly wrangle, with
much recrimination, the Legislature of
Utah has adjourned without electing
Senator, deDriving the Democrats of
vote.
The Legislature of California had still
more disgraceful session, in which the
corrupt use of money was openly exposed,
and has adjourned, leaving vacancy,
which is a Republican loss.
In Pennsylvania, the second state in the
Union, with Legislature Republican,
months have been wasted in a most dis
grading wrangle between Quay and his
adversaries, causing an obstinate dead
lock, with humiliating Investigations re-
fleeing upon the honor and integrity of
the whole commonwealth. Meanwhile the
term has expired, and Pennsylvania has
but one Senator.
In Kentucky, two years ago, the fight
over Blackburn's successor came near pre-
cipitating in a civil war, and ended in
dlscredtable compromise.
George H. Pendleton was a candirate
for reelection in 1885, and the undoubted
choice of the Democracy of Ohio for the
succession. He was defeated by Henry
B. Payne, everybody knows how.
Another phenomenon in the same state
was the election of alvin S. Brice to the
Senate. He was practically a resident
of New York. He had no training in
public affairs. During the six years of
his incumbency he was as dumb as the
sheep before the sheerers, and opened not
his moouth. But he was a practical bust
ness man, a ''ixer." and he fixed the
Ohio legislature with the same calculat-
ing composure that he employed in fix
ing boards of railroad directors. The peo-
pie of Ohio were not consulted. The per-
Torrance was sardonic travesty on rep
resentative self-government.
When the Senate was organized in 1889
ten states were represented with twenty
Senator'S. In 1903, Tucker said in debate
that the number would probably never ex-
coed fifty. There are now ninety Sena-
tors from forty-five states, with New
Mexico Arizona, Oklahoma, the Indian
Territory, uba, Porto Rico, Hawaii and
the Philippines in posse.
The time has come for the people to re-
sumo their power. There is no reason
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 preceding the expir-
alton of the term. The would be no dead
locks, no futile sessions wasted in fac
tional fights, no wholesale corruption, no
dark horses, no tongue-tied monopollStS
in the seats of the mighty.
This does not imply the majority OIL the
Senatorial elections are not clean, nor
that constituencies are not in general hon
orably represented, nor that the public
service of the country is not upon a high
plane of morality, but recent developments
have resulted in an unmistakable distrust
of the method of choosing Senators by
Legislatures and an equally strong santi-
ment in favor of their election by the d.
rect vote of the people.
Not the least of the evils attending the
present system is the Generalization CT the
sordid and mercenary elements of society,
the boodlers and heelers, the pirates and
brigands, who make politics a trade, and
are for sale to whoever will pay the most
money.
Sir Robert Walpole, who had probably
more experience in the purchase of legis-
lators than any other gentleman IF this
time, always insisted with somewhat bru-
tai candor that such transactions we're
justidable from the moral standpoint, be- /
cause, if member of Parliament was
for sale, unless you bought him, the other
side would, and then the wrong might
triumph
This is ingenious ond consoling. Per a2s |
it is not wholly devoid OF truth. Some |
times we must do evil that good mEy |
come, but the prayer of the politician |
Sbo,,If he NOT IN he led into Termination.