The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-05-30
4 Chat Of the Capital
Washington Gossip, Political AM Other
; wise, for the ReadsrI of the Globe.


considerable interest regarding the cleo
ton Of senators by, direct vote of the
people, as follows:
The method Of electing federal sena-
tors is occupying public attention to
greater degree now, perhaps, than at any
other time since the adoption Of the con-
stitutton. The house of representatives
has adopted a. resolution favoring the
election by the people instead of by the
legislature, and the1 legislatures Of sew
eral states have taken similar action.
The Massachusetts lower house passed
such a resolution, but 1t Was defeated in
the senate of that state, the only argu-
meut, or wl:at was intended to PASS as an
argument, against it being that there
are alleged to he unfair election laws n
certain Southern states
The present manner Of appointing ser
ators was devised at a time when suf-
frage was greatly restricted and when
only g small number of officials were
elected by the people. Here in Maryland,
fer more than half a century after the
adoption OF the Declaration OF Independ-
ence, the people did not elect their gov
ernor, state senator's judges. and. in fact,
hardly any officers except sherifs and
members Of the house CT delegates were
chosen by the people until many years
after Maryland became state. The
main reasons for having federal senators
appointed by the state legislatures have
lcng ceased TIC exist, and there are many
reasons why the method should be chang
ed.
Conditions in Montana, Pennsylvania,
ana in Delaware sre all object lessons
showing the defects in tbs present sys-
TEN and the objections to 1t. Tie
Choice of senators was given to the leg
1Slat'1reS chiefly because it was the plan
that senator's should represent not So
much the people of the states as the state
gOVernments-the states in their sover-
eign capacity. But according tc cur mod
ern IDEAS, the sovereign power being with
the people, the people can more properly
select a person to represent the sovereign
state. 1t is 6 notorious fact that the po-
| l1t1cal boss seldom ventures as q candi-
date before the people. His strength lies
in the legislature, and the legislatures
too frequently elect him. If senators
We're elected by the people, Mr.. Quay
would scarcely have represented Penn
sylv2nia, Mr.. .Platt.Iwould not have been
| sent by New York. and Mr.. A3dicSs
would not have aspired to represent Del
aware. 1t Is too frequently the case that
senator Is not in political accord with
majority of the people CT his own stats
Time and again New York, while elect
ing a Democratic governor, has in con-
sequence of gerrymanders elected Re-
publican legislatures, and 50, Democrat
ic state was represented by d Republican
senator. In NEARLY all the New England
states the legislatures do not represent
populations So much as towns and rotten
bOroughs. 1t is too often the case. too
that senator is iout of political ac-
cord with The majority of the people of
his state, because his election by the leg
| islature takes place SC long before he
| takes his seat that a political change
| has occurred in the meantime
| 1t is anticipated that the senate will
! continue for a long time to withstand
! the popular demand for constitutional
I amendment giving to the people the right
| to elect their senators. But even the
senate must givs way before a strong
public demand and respect pu6lic sent-
ment. The time will come when The
change will be MADE.
!
Who will place President McKinley's
name before the Philadelphia convention
is a question that is developing much in
terest Perhaps more prominently men
toned in this connection are Foraker,
| Of Ohio, and Depew, of New York Both
are orators of recognized ability and
| national reputation, but they are of diff
| ferent types Foraker presented McNin-
| ley's name at the ST. Louis convention
| four years ago, and his speech is re-
| membered well by those who We're for
tunate enough to be present at that
| clear and musical, and there is a style
to his delivery that is charming. 1t is
doubtful, however, if to Foraker will be
accorded the honor this year.
Depew has also been heard in national
conventions, and it is always an enjoya-
BILE treat to listen to him.
Perhaps the most ambitious of all the
Republican statesmen who would be glad
to electrify the convention with no1ni-
mating speech is that patriarchial-loo
| congressman from Ohio, Grosvenor, who
was the self-constituted soothsayer and
mathematician of the last presidential
campaign. Grosvenor is a good speaker
but his field would be better confined
to a parliamentary debate or an argu-
ment before jury in a criminal trial.
Many other names are mentioned, but
it would not be surprising if Depew Were
| the chosen one.
The medical department Of the army
has under consideration the subject Of
liquor fer troops in the tropics, and pos
sibly limited quantity will be allowed
as a part of the ration. Following the
practice of Great Britain and France
this government. upon recommendations
of surgeons, may decide that liquor is
necessary to maintain the vitality and
strength of troops in the field where the
climate conditions are enervating. Sew
eral surgeons on duty with troops at the
front have recently submitted statements
expressing the conviction that the vitali-
ty of the troops can be better maintain
ed by allowing them liquor of certain
kinds. The Spanish medical officers all
agreed that liquor was essential.
Surgeon General Sternberg stated that
while a number of medical men believed
liquor indispensable to sound health for
troops in hot climates, he doubted if
majority of doctors would sanction its
use, and for that reason he questioned
whether it would be advisable now to all
low the soldiers liquor of any kind
There was d probability, he thought, that
those in the field might be authorized to
have limited quantity, but he question
ed the advisability Of making liquor a
part Of the ration for all troops.
Among the conspicuous features of the
naval exhibits at the Chicago, Atlanta
Nashville and Omaha expositions were
the little models representing types of
new warships for the navy. These models
are the perfection of mechanical skill.
and We're all made by two or three men
at the navy yard here. Some of them
cost from $4,000 to $1,000 each. Several of
these models were sent to the Paris ex-
position, and in putting them on shore
they were roughly handled by men who
could not understand the English eau
tons" The result was that some of them
suffered serious damage Naval Con-
structor Gilmore was detailed to super
intend the work Of repair at the French
navy yards, permission having been
given by the government. He has just
reported that the models have been re-
stored to their former conditions and
will soon be a part of the American ma
val exhibit. n q
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