Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1899-04-15

are thus fixed: Two years for repre-
seAtatives Or assemblymer and four
years for senators. There are few
exceptions to this, as for instance, in
Ohio, Michigan and Tennessee, where
the term of legislators is the same in
both branches but generally speaking
the term Of senators is twice as long as
that oe assembIymen. To choose,
therefore. senators with reference 10
the candidature of any individual
and so long as the United States con
stitution remains as il is the .egisla-
ture is the determining body in the
choice of United States senators-two,
three or four years in advance OF a
vacancy in the United States senate
would be premature, and would com
mia one branch OF each legislature at
least TO the support of candidates VINO,
however available politically in one
year might be unsuitable in the year
following. Again, the agitation fer a
new method OF choosing senators had
its origin il the claim that the voters
would be absolutely free 10 make their
Town selection, independent of "coTpo-
rate influence" party control or ma
chine dfctation. Each electOr would
have the right to name his own choice
for. senator. and thus the candidate III
the state who received the largest
number OF votes individually would be
elected.
Theoretically this might be very
good plan, but az insurmountable bar
rier 20 its adoption is the fact that IN
practically every state in the country,
with q few minor exceptions. the eX-
isting system of bailoting requires the
nomination CT candidates by party or
ganization. Instead, therefore, of the
election of senators by the representa-
tiyes OF tic people the legislatures, as
is now the case, the choice CT senators
would develop upon the two political
parties, to the candidate Of one or
other Of which the voters would give
the. preference. This would not be
n any sense the election Of senators
! -oy the direct vote Of the people, but
an expression by the people OF prefer
ence between the candidates nominal
ed by tie two political 3>aTt;es On an
official ticket.
! Some recent happenings OF politi-
cal character have illustrated anew the
/ futJlity and Observation-Disclosures OF The
poDulist project for restoring the right
Of the choice OF senators to the people
directly The mos successful exponent
/ OF The plan of a declared preference for
a senatorial candidate IN advance o.
an election was furnished b. the ease
! CT John M Palmer in IlIiDCis- The
democrats Of Illinois N their state con-
vention of June, 1890, adopted among
other planks of THAR parry platform
! the following: I'VE favor The electic1
of United States senators by direct vote
Cf the people" The term of Charles
| B. FarweL, republican, expired in the
yaar succeeding. and legislative candi-
dates were voted for IN Illinois with
reference to their senatorial prefer
ences. General PaIme.'s supporters
obtaining a majority of 10000. The
year 1890 was the top-notch year CT
/ DoDuIist agitation, and the effects OF
it were seen in all the agricultural
states Of the west, Illinois among tht
I number. Mr. Palmer was elected by
the legislature, securing the support o
| the Farmers Alliance, as well as of the
democratic members, as the exponent
Of tb6 views which prevailed in Illinois
( in that contest Before the completion
Of his term in March, 1897, however
! General Palmer was utterly out OF
/ line with those who had elected him
He was a candidate for the Presidency
on the democratic gold ticket in opp0-
sition to the regular party nominee
and the hostility of the Illinois demo
cra,s against him was very clearly
shown OF the total democratic VOC
CT the state, Bryan received 465,00l
and General Palmer 5000 only. Re
Gently a pension has been voted K
General Palmer, now stricken witt
years and i'll health, by a republican
congress. ard at 81 his political career
| is closed.