The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1900-02-08


the State to nominate United States
Senators by primaries or Otherwise,
which will virtually be their election
by the people, is to be pressed before the
present session Of the General Assembly
II its friends can succeed in making 1t a
party measure more than likely it Will
be passed; but whether it will prove to
be a wise measure time alone will re-
veal.
1t is claimed by some Of It's friends
that Legislatures are easily corrupted
and members are bought up to vote for
the candidate who has the most money
10 spend, and, therefore, the choice OF
United States Senators should be
made by the people If that is true OF
United States Senators, is it not also
true Of the judiciary and all the OIL
GERS the General Assembly Is called
upon to elect? And, il so. is it not a
strong argument for submitting the
claims Of all candidates for such offices
to the people in the same manner that
the claims of senatorial candidates are
submitted?
1t probably has never occurred to the
leaders of this movement that the mem.
bers Of the Legislature are no worse
than the majority Of their constituents.
If the peoplesend corrupt men to the
Legislature il shows that the greater
part of the people themselves are
corrupt; and if candidates for the Uni
ted States Senate can purchase members
Of the General Assembly they could also
purchase those who sent them there II
their election came before to the people.
In the first instance they would have
to purchase few at q high price; In
the latter instance they would have to
purchase many, but at reduced rate.
But we do not believe, and we are
10th to think that any one else really
believes that q Virginia Legislature
can be corrupted by money or other
means in the selection Of men to fill
the offices within their control. Ii may
be that sometimes the Legislature has
erred in Judgment and put men into Of
fee not the best qualified, but these
have been in few instances and for minor
places, and no one thought Of charg-
ing their elections TO corrupt influences
The election Of such men 70 office was
due more to the fact that members OF
the Legislature did not take time to in
vestigate the fitness Of the applicants
for Office, than from any other cause
We have had but two elections for
United States Senator in Virginia,
since the war that created any surprise
or even unusual comment, that we can
now call to mind. One was the first
election of Senator Daniel and the
other was the first election Of Senator
Martin and while both elections
created considerable comment, there
is no evidence that corrupt methods
prevailed.
AS to Senator Daniels election, his
friends went earnestly to work early
and had enough members pledged to
their man to elect him, while Mr.
Barbour's friends were doing nothing
and he sitting quietly waiting for the
Legislature to send him his credentials
on silver waiter. So Maj Daniel was
elected, and has since then been twice
unanimously reelected, and today has
a place in'the affections OF the people
Of the State second to no living man.
10 the last election mentioned, the
friends Of Senator Martin went 80 work
with an energy that knows no such thing
as fail, and brought to the support Of
their candidate q sufficient number Of
unpurchased and unpurohaseable Vir-
ginians to elect him before Gen. Lee
had really announced his candidacy.
Since then Senator Martin, after an
earnest and even an exciting campaign,
with Governor Tyler as his opponent,
before the people in the selection of
members of the Legislature (the SEN
atorial question being the only Issue in
all the counties and cities Of the State)
was reelected by an overwhelming
majority showing that he had the con-
6dence and esteem Of the people. OF Vir'
GINA, and that he was their choice for
United States Senator. If there had
been anything wrong in the first. cleo
tion of either of these distinguished
gentlemen. he would have had to
account for IL at his second election
but the repeated unanimous elections OF
the one and the overwhelming major
ity Of the other are the strongest
proofs that could be given that there was
nothing wrong in their first election.
We do not know that our voice will
be regarded, but we would say: do not
make the change. but let the election
Of United States Senators remain where
it is now. The Legislature has elected
them for more than century, it has
worked we'll and there is now no good
reason for the change. The change
will be no improvement on the present
system and may prove, il made, curse
instead Of a blessing