Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-04-02
Election of Senator'S by the People.
(The Leesburg Mirror)

1
1 The call recently issued from Richmond
| for a meeting to be held in that city on
May 18th next. for the purpose of taking
1 steps looking to the election of United
| States senators by direct vote of the peo-
| pie, is likely TO have an important infiu-
I ence upon political affairs in this State.
\ The call is signed by upwards of fifty
| men-able, popular, and influential with
the people and in the Democratic party
and cannot fail TO have weight. The only
! way that the election of senators by vote
of the people could be secured would be
| by an amendment to the Constitution OF
| the United States, to get which would
require an act of Congress and the en-
dorsement of the legislatures of two
thirds of the States. This would take a
great deal of time, and would be attended
with much trouble and delay. II Is prob
able, therefore, that what VIII be at
tempted to be done will be TO secure the
adoption by the Democratic party in the
State of some form of primary election
by which the people may express their
choice for United States senator, and
that then the Legislature shall carry out
the will of the people by formally elect
ing the candidate so chosen.
The sentiment for the election of United
States senators by vote of the people. di-
rectly or indirectly, is one that has been
growing steadily for some years past, and
it is stronger to-day. not in Virginia
alone, but i'm the country at large, than
it has ever been. The oft-repeated asser-
ton that only man of great wealth can
get seat in the United States Senate
from many of the States, the clubbing or
the body "a millionaires' club" &c. have
mad their effect in creating this senti-
ment. Then the delays, deadlocks, and
,tpc 1x- frapl nd ra-p null
to say nothing of the actual scandals
that occur almost every season when
more than one or two legislatures under
take the election of senators, have had
tremendous influence in the same direc-
ton. In illustration Of what We alude
to can be cited the futile and scandalous
proceedings in the legislatures Of cali
fornia, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and
West Virginia during the past winter.
The frequent recurrence of such things
as these have developed and strengthen
ed the feeling that these elections should
be placed where they will be promptly
and fairly carried out, where "deadlocks'
lasting for months will not be known,
and where the influence of money cannot
be so readily applied. So far, we are
glad to know, Virginia has escaped oc-
currences which have disgraced the sena-
torial elections i'm many States, but the
fear of what may happen is strong, and
impels action now rather than to wait
until the evil has been done.
The custom OF electing senators by the
Legislature is as old as the government
itself, and 1t is true that IL received the
endorsement Of the founders of the re-
public. 1t was then the simplest way Of
choosing them: and seems TO be so yet |
but If the method is being abused. II ii is |
bringing corruption into high places, and |
jobbery and chicanery are taking the |
place of honest and straightforward deal |
ing in these matters, then the method, |
time-honored, and hoary with age though |
it be, should be changed and that right |
speedily.