The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-04-29
IT WILL FAIL IN THE SENATE
BY JOS: OIL.

BY JOS: OIL.
Washington. April 2O-(special to At
lanta Constitution. 1.-The passage by the
house OF joint resolution looking to the
amendment OF the Constitution SO as to
provide for the election OF senators by the
people does not mean that such a resolu-
ton is destined to reach the president.
nor. indeed, does it indicate any important
step toward the end looked for by its sup
porters. The resolution has gone TO the
senate committee on privileges and cleo
tons. and 1t is extremely doubtful II It
ever is heard Of again. If by chance there
should be report on 1t, that report will
be unfavorable. And more than that, the
unfavorable report will have the support
OF almost all OF the members Of the COM
mlttee.
There Is no possibility of the senate's
overriding such an unfavorable report
for there will be strong majority In
that body against change from the pres
ent system Of electlng senator's.
There has been great deal OF aglta-
tion on the proposition to EJECT senators
by the Legislature Much OF this is due
to scandals which have at different times
arisen over the senatorial contests and
then, to some extent, at least, the move
ment for elections by the people has been
pushed along by the men whose personal
ambitions have been thwarted under the
present system through the success OF
other men. Politicians who want TO get
into office are never chary in their praise
|, OF the dear people" whose wisdom they
admire as long as they get personal bene-
Ats from their selection and whom they
are quick TO critlcise when things go
wrong.
There are two sides to this question OF
the selection OF senators. In the South,
where we rely almost universally upon the
instruction by the people through the pri-
maries, we get what is equivalent to the
direct vote OF the people, because we get
direct expression from them as to their
choice. Where 1t Is coltest between
leading members of the same political
party and where that party comprises
practically all of the intelligence of a
State, the senator selected as The result
of these primaries is more likely to be
chosen on his own merits than under any
other system. The practical result Of a
the direct vote of the people for senator
would be that in majority of the States
a State convention would name the senator
instead of his being named by the legis-
, lature, and il is hardly doubtful that the
) system of legislative selecting is prefer
able to that OF selecting by political con-
ventlon whose responsibilities in the mat
ter cease with the nomination
There are a great many things to be
considered in this movements Not the
least OF these is the wisdom of listen ne
TO the popular clamor which would make
4 a change in the organic construction OF
the government when even those who are
It's strongest advocates can not possibly
give assurances that it will bring a per-
manent change for the better
There are some things which the people
. Of the South ought particularly to con-
slider in this connection, for they are
: things in which the South is deeply in
terested, When the house resolution
reached the senate and Mr. Butler OF
North Carolina urged that 1t be acted
3 upon without going through committee
l Senator Hoar whose honesty of purpose
e can no more be questioned than can his
ability pointed out one of these dangers
This is proposition" said Mr. Hoar
r which IL carried out with legitimate
( consequences Will, in NY opinion very
: soon destroy the equality OF the States
in the senate and give ua two legislative
q bodies, both the result of popular cleo
tons the only differences between them
: being in the senator that is voted for By
a larger constituency than the represent
tative. 1 am surprised that tho eagerness
for dealing with this matter promptly anG
without the ordinary consideration from
{ 4 representative OF the State Of North
$ Carolina, a State now one of the smallest
States in the Union ard certain, as fan
: as anything in our history can be certain
to remain in the growth of the future sta
tonery as compared with the great States
both in the East and the West Now
change the character OF the senate-a body
= removed from popular election, chosen
by legislative and not popular body
and those great States will not submit
long to an equality between Delaware anG
:, New York or between North Carolina anC
! New York in that body, and you will have
your unmiXed and unchecked democracy
instead OF our palmer confederacy of Re
pubics and the National government that
e we have now. My honorable friend, with
} all respect is contending against the dear
n est interests that the State of North
, Carolina can have IL she Is to preserve
her equality in this Union in the future.
These sentiments coming from Senator
Hoar, were not unexpected, because ht
has always taken stand against the
change in the organic construction OF the
government which Is contemplated Ia thi:
. movement. Senator Hoar is a great be-
, lever in the senate and loses no oppor-
tunlty to defend that body. His views
condensed in the shape of resolution in
r the Fifty second congress, are as follows
Such method of election would es-
sentialiy change the character OF the
t senate as conceived by the convention
that framed the constitution and the
r people who adopted It,
1t would transfer practically the Sc
lection OF the members OF this body
who are entrusted with all legislative
I powers OF the States, TO bodies hay
, Ing no other responsibility, whose
: election can not be regulated by law,
: whose members act by proxy whose
tenure OF Office is for a single day,
whose votes and proceedings are moi
recorded. who act under no personal
responsibility, whose mistakes of sena-
tors who do not represent the opinions
a concerning public measures and POLL