Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-03-28

states OF the Union have, through their
legislatures. called upon Congress TO
submit to the people OF the States an
amendment to the Constitution giving
TO them the right to elect their Sena-
tors by direct vote. In California, more
than nine-tenthS OF the voters of the
state. at recent popular election,
voted in favor OF change, and within
the past few weeks the Legislature OF
North Carolina and Missouri unani-
mously passed resolutions instructing
their Senators to support n resolution
70 so amend the Constitution. In the
F1fty-third Congress, the Hon. William
j. Bryan, then n Representative from
the state of Nebraska, introduced and
earnestly supported n resolution to ac-
complish this great reform: and within
the past few weeks the national chair
man of the Democratic party, himself
United States Senator. has said
am in favor OF the election of Sena-
tors by the direct vote of the people.
nave changed my views upon this sub
1ect within the last year or two. The
Whoie people cannot be debauched by
money or otherwise; 1t is safest to put
all the power we can in their hands,"
POSITION OF VIRGINIA DEMO
GRATIS.
The doom of this relic of n dark past.
OF the age when the people were not
trusted with the custody of their own
The question Of the hour is, Shall the
Democrats OF Virginia refuse To partici-
pate i'll great movement destined to
restore to the people. where il rightly
belongs. the right 10 elect their Senators
az they now do their Representatives
and their Governors?
In South Carolina. Georgia, Illinois
and other States, the people. despair
ing of any action by the Senate itself
nave discovered remedy for the evil.
and have not hcsitatcd to apply 1t. They
nave adopted senatorial primary sys-
tens. by means Of which they virtually
eleci their Senators. In no single in
stance where such primaries have been
resorted to has the result been dsap-
pointing to them. or course the trusts
the rings, and the political bosses have
opposed. but whenever and wherever
the people have once taken the power
into their own hands. they never have
been known TO relinquisi it.
1t Is vain and misleading 10 say that
TINS question has been decided bv the
party organization in Virginia. Moth
ing is ever decided which is not decided
rlSnt. or WHICH Is dccTd6d ngangt Tt1c
irresistible course of events. 1t is true
that resolution providing for sena-
torial primaries failed of passage at
the Roanoke Convention OF 1897. but ii
is also true that it was not considered
until late hour in the deliberations
of that body. ana until many of its
members had departed for their homes.
The principal argument urged against
lis passage was not directed against
it's merits. but was based upon the con-
tcntion that the convention-not hay
ing been called for that, but. on the
contrary. for an entirely different pur-
posc--namcly, the nomina ton of n State
tickct-Ought not hastily and incon-
sideratcly to take action so important.
d. <. I a,1 in e .1,.
many of the votes against the PROPOSE
ton were cast by proxies. uninstructed
upon that subject. II received CSC votes.
INFLUENCE OF CORPORATIONS.
The Legislature of Virginia has al
why's contained men of high order Of
character and ability, and many of the
senators from this state have been
most DISTINGUISHED for wisdom ana
public and private virtue. And vet IL
cannot be successfully denied that 40
men assembled at the State Capital,
subjected TO the powerful and insidious
influence of corporations and combina-
tons of corporations, controlin" hum
dreds Of millions of money and en-
nloying hundreds of thousands of
trained agents and professional men,
have not the resisting force Of half a
million of voters, each intrenched in the
fortress of his own home and the af-
fcctions Of his own household, whose
s''At''i'ii ~ HIS IIccitan = vote.
II this rcfugc-thc peopie-should ever
fail. then, indeed must the republic be
ueSparcd of, but not until then.
In the liEh. of recent events ii can
not be gainsaid that 'icglslative cleo
tions arc Il prolific source of legislative
corruption.' That in many recent and
we'll known Instances they have re-
suited in prolonged dcadlocks and en-
tailed great cost upon the unfortunate
commemorative where they have cX-
iSted ~ an additional argument against
the present method of elccting United
states Senator's. Within Il few DAYS
past the Legislatures of Delaware. Cali
iornia and Utah, after frittering away
their entire forms in fruiticss efforts TO
elect United States Senators. have adj
1ourned finally, and for two years to
come each of those States will be de-
prived of one half of it's representation
IN the Senate. The indications all are
that the Legislative deadlock in Penn
SylVania will not be broken, and that
II also will lose a Senator for at least
two years.
CALL FOR MEETING; HERE.
10 the Democratic party of Virginia
inns note of admonition and warning is
sounded. Upon it has been laid the
solemn responsibility of the government
o! our beloved Commonwealth in the
visible future, ana the election of the
next United states Senator to be chosen
from TINS State. With the people of
virginia IL Is the white mans bur
den which he may not refuse to lift
ana therefore. with a view to carrying