The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-04-03
ELECT THEM BY DIRECT VOTE


ELECT THEM BY DlRtCI fUlE
tBY A. w. BUTTD
Washington. March 29.-a'rhosc who have
been watching the recent course OF events
and their effect upon popular sentiment
have not failed 10 be sensible Of the
marked growth in advocacy Of the election
4 Of senator's by direct vote Of the peopie
1 II hEs been subject OF comment tar anu
/ wide and IT begins to lock much IKE INC
/ change OF the constitution, which many
( Rave considered desirable ever since mat
intsrun ent was framed, is about 10 De
/ made.
4 The most recent movement looking 70
I II, and certainly the most vigorous ehol.
that has been set in motion. Is tnal Oh
I Virginia democrats who have banaeu
Themselves together with determination TO
\ effect the reform Many leaders OF 'hs
! party, including Representatives Jonn r.
/ Rixey. William A. Jones and John Lamp
4 Attorney General a. J. Montague eN-
! Congressman and former Solicitor Genera'
/ John Goode. ex-Colgressman George ~
I Wise and James W. Marshall. have issued
an address to their fellow democrats Oh
I the State reciting recent events in con-
necticn with the election OF United states
\ senators and appealing to the party 10
unite with them in an effort to secure
/ the adoption of a constitutional amend :
ment, comforting upon the voters OF the
| several States the privilege of electing
senators by direct vote.
| While the appeal is addressed 10 the
! Virginia democrats, the argument used
1 is National in nature. and 1t is proposed TO
make the movement, just inaugurated' be-
| come the initiation of general move
ment that will extend throughout the
country and force the desired reform.
| That Virginlaas should take first place
In this great effort is highly appropriate,
-snce it was the Virginia delegates to the
constitutional convention who solidly and
most vigorously fought the clause provid-
| ing for election of senators by the legs-
| latures, and 1t was other eminent Vir-
| ginians who subsequently opposed most
/ ably the permanence of this provision.
witch, after more than a century, has be-
come pretty generally accepted as bad.
The address which has just been issued
and which reads like paper, thoroughly
! inspired by the spirit that moved the
! Virginans of the early days Of the re-
public, is mastery and concise presenta-
ton OF the case OF those who sign it. In
its first paragraph it is declared that the
demand for a change in the method OF
I electing United States senators is so wide
spread and imperative that the issue raised
thereby can be no longer wisely or safely
avoided.
1.-The sentiment in favor OF the election
of senators by direct vote of the people
is not of recent origin but its growth in
its present decade" the address declares,
SIS unequaled in our history. That 1t has
been quickened by the shocking disclos-
ures of the legislative scandals which
| have disgraced many of the States of the
Union is painfully apparent and their eff
feet upon the public conscience can not
have escaped the most Indifferent observer
/ Of passing events. Indeed, the situation
/ has become we'll nigh intolerable in many
OF the States. The people OF Virginia can
not remain insensible to conditions so
fraught with peril to our institutions"
After referring TO the fact that too Of
ten senators do not represent the body
of tho people of the several States, but
do in many cases reflect more especially
the wills Of special corporate interests or
special classes, the appeal goes on to say
that this has been due to the method of
senatorial elections. The possibility of this
very evil consequence and of the other
Objectionable results that have followed
1 legislative election of senator's was seen
by many of the wisest founders of the re-
/ public at the very time they were prepar-
/ ing the great constitution Among them
! tho Virginians, whose opinions at this
date are accepted as the most valuable
! legacies that have come down to us from
all the past
| Referring to the argument that was made
| for the present method before the con.
vention and the insistence OF Mr. Gerry OF
of Massachusetts that the Commercial and
| moneyed interests would be more Sc
cure in the hands of the State legislatures
than of the people at large" the address
says
James Madison, on the other hand. de.
clared that the great fabric to be raised
would be more stable and enduring il II
should rest upon the solid foundation Of
the people themselves than If it should
stand merely upon the pillars OF the legis-
lstures themselves The declaration OF
Thomas Jefferson. II am not among those
who fear the people. need not have been
preserved TO assure US where the jude.
ment and sympathies OF the founder Of
democracy were placed on this question
nor can it be doubted that Patrick Henry
the matchless defender of popular rights
approved the judgment OF Washington,
Madison, Randolph, Mason and, Blair,
who cast the influence and vote of Vir.
ginia against the election of senators by
| the legislatures and over whose better
! judgment that provision was incorporated
/ In the Federal constitution