The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-04-14
IT'S ADOPTED BY "a TO IS
Constitutional Amendment it Would
Submit to Legislatures.
TALBE9T CREATES A STIR IN THE HOUSE
His Opposition to the Passage of Alleged Un'
lust Private Pension Bills Involves Him
in Disputes With Members, A
Laughabe Incident.
(By the Associated Press.)

WASHINGTON, April 13-The House to-
day by vote of 240 to Is adopted a reso-
luton for a constitutional amendment
providing for the election of United States
Senators by direct vote of the people,
Fourteen Republicans and one Democrat
voted against it. BY the terms of the
resolution the amendment to be submitted
to the Legislature is as follows:
The Senate of the United States shall
be composed of two Senators from each
State, who shall be elected by direct
vote OF the people thereof for term
Of six years, and each Senator shall have
one vote. A plurality Of the votes cast
for candidates for Senator shall be suff-
cient to elect. The electors in each State
shall have the qualifications requisite for
electors Of the most numerous branches
Of the State Legislatures respectively.
when vacancy happens. by death,
resignation, CT otherwise in the represen~
tation Of any State in the Senate, the
same shall be filed for the uneXpired
term thereof in the same manner as is
provided for the election Of Senators in
paragraph / : provided, that the executive
thereof may make temporary appoint
ment until the next general or speciaF
election, in accordance with statutes or
constitution cf such State
The remainder of the day was devoted
to the consideration of private pension
bills. Several sharp attacks were made
upon Mr.. Talbert (Dem., S. Co.. for his
course in delaying action upon bills.
There were two joint resolutions on the
popular election OF Senator'S when the
House adjourned yesterday. The major :
ity resolution CT the committee left it
optional with the States whether their
Senators should be elected directly or by
the Legislatures. The minority resolu-
tion made it incumbent that each State
elect by direct vote. The minority reso-
luton which was offered as a substi-
tute was voted upon first and was carried
by an overwhelming vote-ayes 135, noes
so. Mr.. Corliss tried unavailingly to get
an aye and no vote but only nine men,
bers seconded the demand. The vote was
then taken upon the adoption of the
amendment the whole house rising in
support of the demand. The resolution
was adopted 240 to 10.
The negative votes were cast by Messrs.
Allen (Me), Burleigh (Me.), Calderhead
Ckan.) Fordney (Mich.), Gardner On. J),
Hedge (la) Henry Comm, Lane 0a.),
Lester (Ga), Littlefeld (Me), McPher-
son Qa). Mann Qlls.), Russell Comm
| Sperry Comm, aud Thomas Qa).
Mr.. Hepburn Ga), asked unanimous
consent TO set aside May 1st for the
consideration Of the Nicaragua Canal Bill.
Il object shouted Mr.. Burton (O),
emphatically.
Mr.. Hepburn then took steps TO over
! come this opposition and a petition to
the Committee on Rules was prepared
requesting that body to fix a time for
taking up the Canal Bill. Mr.. Hepburn
circulated the petition on the Republican
side and up TO the time of adjournment
secured 81 signatures.
Mr.. Adamson, who circulated The petit
tion on the Democratic side said:
There is no opposition whatever on
this side, and every man present today
has signed the petition. The number
exceeds sixty
Notwithstanding these efforts, it was
intimated pretty strongly in we'll inform
ed quarters that the Committee on Rules
| was not likely to bring in a special rule.
| The Speaker declined however to make
any definite statement on the subject
Following Mr.. Burton's objection the
| House proceeded with the regular order
the consideration Of private pension
bills
| Mr.. Talbert Is. CO, sent to the clerk S
desk and had read some letters from old
| soldiers in various parts of the country
protesting against the special acts
ground out by the Congressional Bu-
reau.' One of them said the old soldiers
| were very sore Mr.. Talbert said the
letters read were simply samples of hun
dreds he had received
Later on Mr.. Talbert who was demand
ing the reading Of the report in each
case and who several times made points
OF no quorum became involved in a con-
troversy with Mr.. Shattuc (Ohio) who
expressed the opinion that opposition to
pensions came with i'll grace from a for
| mer Confederate soldier Mr. Sibley
(Pa.), said a simple calculation would
show that it cost $4,000 day for ses-
sion of the House or 1000 an hour. The
time frittered away by Mr. Talbert since
he came to Congress, he said, would more
than pay all the special pension bills
passed during that period.
Mr.. Norton (0.), protested against Mr.
Talbert's course. If he found an unjust
bill and could demonstrate that it was
unjust he (Norton) and many members
on the floor would join him in defeat