The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-05-02
On The ELECTION
Of y. 5. Senator
From the New York Sun.

Va ~ - ~ ~ ~
From the New York Sun.
TIE house of representatives., by large ma.
jority, has recommended an amendment of
= federal constitution providing that the
senators allotted TO each state shall be
chosen by the people thereof instead of by the
legislature. 1t is said that a demand 10 the
same effect will be made in the platform put
forth by the Democratic National convention.
What view of the matter was taken by the au-
thors of our federal organic law? An examina
tion OF Elliot's report of the debates in the
Philadelphia convention in 1878 will show that
even the proposal that members OF the house
OF representatives should be chosen by the people
encountered much opposition and that the ap-
plication of the same method of election to the
senate had not single advocate.
o
When Randolph's resolutions comprising what
is known the "Nrginia Plan" were discussed
at Philadelphia in committee of the whole, the
germs Of a national ccntralzing party on the
one hand, and of state rights party on the
other, were at once disclosed, The ideal Of th"
state rights party was subsequently formulated
in the New Jersey Plan which would have
continued the congress OF the confederation.
unicameral body, in which each state had
equal voice, and TO which the delegates were
chosen by the state legislatures. Only with the
utmost reluctance did the small states recede
from this position, and the concessions ultimate
ly made to them by way of compromise must
be held to form the fundamental consideration
in return for which they accepted the constitu.
tion.
The election by the people Of the first brangh
of the proposed federal legislature, the branch
which to receive the name OF the house of
representatives, was opposed by Roger Sherman,
of Connecticut, who thought that the less the
people had to do directly with the federal, as
distinguished iIcm the state government, the
better. lie was very warmly supported ny FL.
bridge Gerry Of Massachusetts,, to whose
hdence in the people the rebellion lately headed
by shays In that state had given a severe shock.
"All the evils we experience" said Gerry, "how
from excess of democracy. The people do not
lack virtue, but are the dupcs of pretended pa
triots. In Massachusetts, they are daily msled
into the most baleul measures and opinions"
He had been "too republican heretofore" he sad
'but had been taught by experience the danger
OF a leveing spirit" The South Carolina del
cgates esteemed the choice of representatives
by the people impracticablc in scattered popu.
| laton. Wilson, Madison and Mason, on the
other hand. argued that no republican govern
ment could stand without popular confidence,
which confidence could be secured only by giving
TO the people the election Of one branch Of the
federal Legislature. Gerrys colleagues from
Massachusetts, went against him, and the clcc.
tiCn of the house of representatives by the people
was carried. New Jersey and South Carolina,
however, proved unyicding in their opposition,
while Connecticut and Delaware were divided.
When the method Of choosing the members OF
tho second branch Of the federal Legislature, the
branch eventually called the senate. came up for
debate, James Wilson, Of Pennsylvania, proposed
| that the senators should he chosen not. indeed.
directly by the people; but by electors chosen by
| the people. Oliver Ellsworth, of Connecticut,
| replied "Thc state legislatures are more ,Cm.
| petent to make a iudicious choice than the peo.
| pie at large. Without the existence and CO.
| operation of the states a republican government
| cannot be supported over great an extent OF
| country. We know that the people of the states
| are strongly attached to their own constitutions.
| II you hold up system of general government
destructive of their constitutional rights they
| will oppose it. The only chance we have to
| support general government is to graft it on
| the state governments" George Read, of Della
ware, proposed the appointment OF senators by
| the state executive out of candidates 10 be nomi
| mated by the state Legislature, but this motion
was not seconded. Dickinson, of Delaware, sup
ported by the smaller states, insisted upon Tho
| election Of the members OF the second branch
| (the sonatc) ny the ti.e legislatures, and Tho
demand was accepted in the committee Of the
whole and subsequently, affirmed in the con
vention by all the states except Pennsylvania
and Virginia. II is noteworthy that the oppo
sition of the last.named state was based upon
| the belief that the election OF senators by the
state legislatures would involve equal repre-
sentation Of the states in the senate or second
branch of the federal assembly Such equal rep
resentation Virginia long and strenuously op
posed
1t was at an carly stage of the proceedings
at Philadelphia that the demand of the smaller
states that their delegates in the senate or see
| ond branch Of the federal assembly should bC
chosen by the state legislatures was formally con
ceded by large majority. No attempt wa,
afteTward made TO rocedc from the position. IlaC
such an attempt been made successfully the pro
posed constitution would never have been adopted
| by the smaller states. They considered the eec
| tion OF senators by the state legislatures essen
tial to their permanent retention of the ugh
| Of equal representation in the senate; for, thel
| argued, senators representing directly vast popu
| lations would, sooner or later, insist upon pro
portionate weight in the second branch Of th,
federal assembly. So long, on the other hand
as senators, being chosen by state legislatures
simply represented their state in its corporate
capacity the authority of a senator's mandat
would remain unaffected by the number of in
habitants in his commonwealth.
From the Philadelphia Inquirer.
The present method Of electing senators is no
satisfactory and this is shown by the fact tina
three vacancies in the United States senate no,
exist. There will be more vacancies hereafter
| for the senate has declared that in close states
few conspirators may block an election at an
time and thus force vacancies. This decsio
was made by handful of Republicans joined t
the great body of Democrats; but, nevertheless
II is decision Of the senate, just the same. Cor
spiracy has been indorsed aud personal splice
has been made fashionable. Hereafter, then, W
! may expect many deadlocks and many yacar
seats There are but two ways TO meet this dar
, ger. One is by the passage OF simple law b
, congress providing that the candidate receiyin
the highest number Of votes in a Legislature ,ha