Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1899-03-02

ators is unsatisfactory and unpopular.
The demand for change from the vi
carious TO the direct method is loud
and persistent. Congress has been
memoriaNzed upon the subject by the
legislatures of no less than 25 states,
all praying for the submission of con-
stitutional amendment which shall
provide for the election of senator's by
popular vote. The 25 states which
have thus petitioneo contained a popu-
lation OF more than 100000, accord
ing to the census of 1890, and major
ity of all the people of the United
States at that date of nearly II mil
lions The state referred to are
California, Colorado, Florida, Idaho
Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Ken
lucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri
Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New
York, North Carolina, North Dakota,
Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, Utah,
West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyom-
ing. There is scarcely room for doubt
that if the question of choosing United
States senators by direct popular vote
were submitted to the people it would
prevail in every state of the union by
an overwhelming majority. The de-
mand for the change is not passing
within. The people have been discuss
ing this proposition for years and the
legislative memorials to which we have
referred are but tardy response to a
wide spread popular sentiment. As a
rule legislative bodies are little prone
to relinquish the slightest prerogative
or perquisite save in Difference to the
will of the people sternly and unmis-
takably expressed Furthermore, as
indicating the trend of popular senti-
ment touching this subject, it is re-
called that on several occasions the ma
tional house of representatives has
passed a joint resolution proposing an
amendment to the constitution proVid-
ing for the election of senator's by di-
rect vote of the people. Such a reso-
luton passed the last democratic house
with only two dissenting votes. The
present republican house, on the 11th
of May last, adopted similar resolu-
ton, only II votes appearing in the
negative.
1t is the purpose of this paper to
briefly give, without extended argu-
ment, some of the controlling reasons
for this constitutional change, albeit,
in a popular government like ours, the
onus probandi properly falls to those
who would defend the existing artiti-
cial unnatural and undemocratlc
scheme. The choice of United States
the people, because
First. Such change would be in per-
feet harmony with the law of our gov
ernmental growth Throughout the
civilized world governments are NOV
ing toward the people. Especially Is
this true of our own country. Here
the people are the source of power and
the closer a political agency stands to
the people the more valuable and eff
cient its service United States sena-
tors are agents of the people, but are
now chosen by an intermediary
agency. Why should they not be chos-
en- directly by the principal? Posses
sion of the privilege of suffrage GER
tainly implies the right to exercise it
directly, not by proxy. Formerly
members of the house of representa-
tiyes. governors and all other admin
istrative officers We're appointed by the
legislatures. In the progress of events
all this has been changed and there
is none who would suggest, much less
advocate, return to the old method
We have outgrown the present system
and it should be cast into the junk pile
"a companion of the effete and prac-
tically defunct electoral college.
Second 1t would well nigh re-
move every incentive to enact unfair
and dishonest appointments of legis-
latiye districts. and would drive into
perpetual hiding the monstrous gerry
mander whose hideous trail has
married the map of every state in the
union. Wisconsin has long been a
conspicuous victim of its unbearabe
tyranny It's infamy Is upon all par
ties and its stain upon many, other
wise reputable, people. 1t is common
speech among good lawyers that Wis
consin has never known constitu-
tional apportionment, certainly not a
Just one within the spirit and clear
intendment of that instrument. Atthe
bottom of this iniqu4ty and as an in
centive to it is the prize of the SEN
atorship. Confer the choice of sena-
tors upon the people and the unspeak-
able gerrymander will disappear and
die OF neglect
Third. Under the new method the
legislative deadlock. with its demorali-
cation of the public business. its per-
sonal feuds and bitternesses, its
drunken revels and its charges OF cor
ruption, would be unknown. The
country has this year had several strik-
ing object lessons of these legislative
holdups-ln Delaware, in Pennsylva-
MIA, in California. Montana, Ltah,
Washington, West Virginia, and shall
We add Wisconsin? And these are but
the repetitions of scenes common to