The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-04-10
= PTEoRIAL
STATES SENATORS BY
POPULAR VOTE.

Az was announced in The Progress =
GfyeF Farmer q few weeks ego, the Penn
wivauia legislature has launched q
scheme to bring about the election OF
Knitted States Senators by popular
vots that is more promising than any
ether plan yet presented. Briefly told
the Legislature of the Keystone State
asks merely for co operation-thst the
various Lee ielatures that have singly
and independently declared for the re
form referred to join hands and MAKE
their demands Of some effect. A fuller
explanation is given in the following ar
sicls, which we clip from the Saturday
Evening Poss
The Fifth Arti lie Of the Constitution
provid-s that, The Congress, when
ever two thirds OF both houses shal
deem il ecsssary, shall propose amend,
ments to this Constitution, or, on the
application Of the legislatures OF two
thirds Of the several States, shall call q
convention for proposing amendments.
which, in every case, shall be valid
: 90 all intents and purposes, "a pr OF
Ehis Constitution, when rat fed by the
legislatures OF three fourths Of the sew.
GHl States, or by conventions in three
fourths thereof"
The fifteen amendments that have
been made to tbe Constitution were
adopted on the initiative Of Congress
itself.
The alternative msthod has never
been employed. Il is nov, however,
seriously proposed that the legislatures
shall make u9e OF the power which the
Constitution urq I~estionably gives to
them. Public Sentiment in the coun
try seems to be overwhelmingly in
favor Of electing United Safes Sens
t2Es by popular vots. Numerous leg
Islstures have adopted resolutions to
that eff CT. The Legislature Of Iowa
last month paes / such a proposition
With only tOuF negative votes. In Cal.
hoFnia some years ago, when the qles.
ton was tested by popular vote, every
eoun y favored it, and the whole vote
vas 1877 $50 In the affirmative to Is,
S49 against.
one OF the most ~ipgerious efforts to
adapt the present method to popular
vote and to c-mbIne the two was
made Dy Georgia ebout four years ago.
The feeling ran hish aud there was the
Hsual lack Of confidence IN what the
ReW legislature might do. In that
BIate the Democratic nomination ia
equivalent to election, and so the Dam
scraEs agreed TO a plan by which the
voters in each county expressed their
Ghoic as TO who should be the next
BnIsed States 8 nssor. There Yves a
vigorous confess. Toe plan was euc
Gessf0l
Twice the House of Representatives
Aas passed a resolution proposing that
the Constitution be amend ed 40 thai
the Senators should be elected by pop-
Glar vote. z Gu CT theae resolutions.
was ignored By ths SsDate. There is
IN the presen5 h use of Representa-
tiVas a similar resolution which will
doubtless share tbs fate Of it's prede-
Gess )rs. Tbs power that stands in the
way OF the change is she Senate itself,
and as far as Congress ia concerned liz
te might be hoped for, but the alterna
tive plan provided for by the CJnsti
sutton can make the Senate take the
action whether is wants TO or not.
Notorious cJnditions in Penpsvlve-
ala led the legislature last yssr 70 an
point a joint committee to consider tnIs
whole question. It has done soma
thing more than can usually be x
Pected OF the average legislative com
DIttee. IL has commune Ated with the
Governors and 8 c~retaries Of all the
States asking that legislative commit,
tees os appointed TO a national conven
ZION In Philadelphia The result OF
ShIs organic ID effort will 6pOear later
II t"o.tnir0s Of the 8 .ates c an De favor
ABLY influenced, snd if their legizIs
lures take the necessary action. IN
"nole change will De as g1oi as male
although viii necessarily take s4v-
ecaI years 10 complete the formalisies
10 has been very e4verly tuggeste
however that when n s snase realiz
NE force Ct "a olIe opinion aud sees If.
inevitable, is will not persist in i;
prtssnt policy.