Washington sentinel., 1899-04-01
Virginia Democrats

voters Of the State reciting recen
events in connection with the ele {
ton OF United States Senators, anC
appealing to the party to unite will
them in an effort to secure che adop
ton OF a constitutional amendmen
conferring upon the voters OF the
several States the privilege o
electing Senators by direct vote o.
the people, and inviting all in favor
OF such a move to meet them in
conference in Richmond on the
nth of May coming. The demand
for a change in the method of
electlng United States Senators is
so widespread and so imperative
that the issue thereby raised cam
not longer be wisely or safely
avoided. The sentiment in favor
o. Fhe election Of Senators by
direct vote OF the people is not OF
recent origin; but its growth in its
present decade is unequaled in our
entire history. That it has been
quickened immensely by the
shocking disclosures of the legis-
lative scandals which have dis
graced many Of the States OF the
Union is painfully apparent and
their effect upon the public con-
science cannot have escaped the
observer OF passing events. In
deed, the situation has become
well-nigh intolerabls in many Of
the States.
The vice IN the existing method
Of ele citing Senators was detected
by many Of the wisest OF the found
ers Of the republic, at the very be-
ginning Of their great task, among
them, the Virginia patriots, whose
opinions at this date are accepted
as the most valuable political leg
acies that have come down to US
from all the past. The argument
for the present system was made
in that day frankly and without
disguise. One Of the most promi
nent advocates OF the legislative
method of electing Senators, Mr..
Gerry, Of Massachusetts,, insisted
that the commercial and moneyed
interests would be more secure in
the hands OF the State Legislatures
than OF the people at large"
James Madison, on the other
hand, declared that the "great
fabric to be raised would be more
stable and enduring il it should
rest upon the solid foundation OF
the people themselves than if it
should stand merely upon the Pill
lars OF the Legislatures them.
selves" The declaration Of Thos.
Jefferson-"I am not among those
who tear the peopIe"-need not
have been preserved to assure
us where the judgment and sym
patHes OF the founder Of Democ
racy were placed on this question;
nor can it be doubted that Patrick
Henry, the matchless defender of
popular rights, approved the judg-
ment OF Washington, Madison,
Randolph, Mason, and Blair, who
cast the inhuencs and vote OF Vir.
ginia against the election OF Sena-
tors by Legislatures, and over
whose better judgment that pro.
vision was incorporated in the
Federal Constitution. The senti-
ment Of the great Virginians Of
that day, without regard to party,
approved the election oi Senators
by the people, and it may be
affirmed without hesitation that
confidence in and reliance upon
the people to govern themselves is
inherent in the plan upon which
God built Virginia manhood.
Too often Senators of the
United States do not represent the
body of the people Of the several
States, but very frequently repre-
sent special corporate interests or
special classes. Notifying as this
tact must be to every lover of our
government, il is no recent dis
coyery, although the evil conse-
quences and bitter degradation
involved in it have OF late been
presented with frequent and i'm
pressive emphasis.
The Senatorial elections and
contests OF the past and passing
year in Ohio, New York, Pennsyl-
vania, Delaware, West Virginia,
Wisconsin, Nebraska, Utah, Ne
vada, California, Maryland, and
Montana present a close series Of
hideous scandals such as shock
the moral sense Of the country,
while at the same time furnishing
new and indisputable testimony
against the wisdom OF a plan cap
able ofsuch desecration and abuse.
The House OF Representatives