The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-04-29

election by the direct popular vote.
and BY the popular majorities. OF the
president and Of the judiciary, and
Will compel the placing Of these cleo
lions under complete National con-
troll.
This menace of National elections
which under the present form OF govern
ment we do not have--and of a possible
elimination OF State lines and the wipins
out of the equality Of States, is something
TO which the people OF the South and OF
all OF the smaller States must take heed.
Senator Chandler, who is chairman OF
the committee on privileges and elections,
has elaborated these Ideas In state
ment which he submitted upon some one
OF the various resolutions OF this kind
which have reached the senate. He dea.s
with this particular phase OF the question.
"A change in the constitution which
compels the election OF United state
senators by direct vote OF the people VIII
also create a just demand for further
amendments which the people OF this
country are not yet prepared TO adopt.
1t will surely become advisable to ro-
quire the el.ction OF president and vice
president by the people, and when the
representatives in congress, the senator's,
PRESIDENT
all chosen at popular elections, thea con-
gress must proceed to prescribe the quail
tcatlons OF voters in the several States
and to enact a National election law pro-
vlding for registering such voters, for
calling and holding the elections and for
certifying the results by Nationn cleo
ton officials In all the States of the
Union. If senators as well as represent
tlves ara to be elected by the people, and
also the president and vice president, it
will be unreasonable fov the States to
ask to be allowed TO continue to prescribe
the qualifications OF voters,r xnlargng the
suffrage in one State and yestricting it in
another. The demand for complete. SUI
preme and uniform Federal election laws
for all these elections will be Just, and
compliance with it will pe inevitable"
Senator Chandler in the same paper
points out the ease with which it Is pos
sible to manipulate the majority in a
convention and asks the pertinent ques-
tion-the question which is really the live
one in this connection-Is political party
caucus any more likely to act independ-
emily. honorably and wisely than a
legislature?
One other thought from Senator Chan
dler's statement is interesting in this con-
nection, THE adoption of this amend
ment by congress-" said he" is not neces-
sary to prove that we do not distrust the
people. The trainers of the constitution
did not distrust the deliberate and per-
sistent Judgment OF the people; they only
dreaded the injurious effects OF a s1lden
temper of the people and thought taat
the constitution should contain safe
guards which would give time for the Sec
ond sober thought TO operate. Therefore
| they provided that the president and vice
president should be elected for four years
( by electoral colleges in the States chosen
/ as the legislature might think best; that
the senators should be elected for six
years by the legislatures; that the federal
judges should be appointed By the presi-
| dent and senate and hold their offices for
life and that only representatives in con-
gress should be chosen by the people every
two years. If it shows an undue distrust
by the people to adhere to the method thus
| provided for electing senator's, why should
We not choose president, vice president,
judges and all Federal officials by the
people and choose them all for two years
only?"
! This testimony comes, OF course, from
republican sources, but there is so much
| worth considering In it that do not think
/ it should be cast aside lightly. The cry
for the election Of the senator's by the peo-
pie has been raised 10 an extent calculated
| 10 make such movement popular but
the questions Involved are grave and inn
rortant too important to be passed by
without full consideration. Senator Pet
tus, a member OF the elections committee,
who is a democrat of democrats, will find
a good many supporters of his characteris-
tic declaration of unwillngness "that
there should be single change made in
the old constitution"