The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-12-02
POPULAR ELRtTJON or SENATOR'S.
A Practical Test of the Proposed Change In
Montana and North Carolina.

The Populist convention Mt Omaha In 1872
adopted as one Of it, planbs the following: W.
favor a Constitutional provision limiting the
Office of President and Vice-Fresident to one
term and providing for the election Of Senators
ofthe United States by direct vote Of the people "
Four years later. along with other Populist
ideas, the same notion of the popular election
Of Senators was taken M by tho Democrats.
and the Kansas City platform on which BRYAN
ard Stevenson were nominated In July con-
tanned the following:
I'VE favor an amendment To the Federal
Constitution proyidInS for the election OF [ ritcd
States Senators by direct vote OF n" people,
and we favor direct legislation wherever prac-
ticable."
Tho plan NJ choosing Senators by popular
election las been vigorously favored 10y theoret-
ichl politicians md economic rcrormcrs for soma
,Ino under the notion that in this wav tho
bower OF tho UlutoCratS 10 represent American
constituencies ilignt DO CuIbrd and the voters
enabled 10 choose Senators INDEPENDENTS of
the action OF state 7. Eie,atrrca Great adj
v~antages were asserted for his polit,,li de-
uarture, the NECESSITY OF which did not apIc7r
to most persons 90 be very urgent. 4 very
large proportion Of trc present members of the
Scrrte are former Governors Of the states they
now represent and were elected as Governors
by popular vote, while n very considerable
number Of the other Senators were Members
%. Congress. having been chosen by popular
vote in tho,r rcspcotiv" districts ard promoted
to tho Senate by reason oi their efficiency in
tha lower branch of tpusro-S Such Senatorial
veterans ~ alison o. Iowa, Gallon OF Illinois.
IIOrr of Massachusetts. Ha"lnv Of Connecticut,
Daniel o; Virginia md Jones Of Arkansas were
members Of the ifou~' of Representatives
before becoming senators. aud tie advantage
Of prpNosrd change seemed 10 have little
substantial warrant
It.. benefit however. were te.t'd this year
remote from each other, thor eh 10th carried
Is" the neruocra,-. me = on-og- and ~chamriors
~ the ! ropo''d cha, GO Ono 4 the~e state.
t'pic7l ~iuto,ra'. had haer elected 10 tho senate
br the Democrats" i,c lH'Ure NJ Helena. onlc
subsequently, I" he unseated IN consequences
Of the evidence ~ hrihc~v ofored W his or
Moments. Nr. DIRK made . direct ar "a, to
the voters az Montana, and u each district
Of thc State Clark Gud an'i-ClaIk candidates
IN he 'Ngi7il'ur" "crc rru, thr Glars Cnndi-
rendert Dalr Democratic Tie re- NJ e ths
c.ntn ,wns. that the ' lut6crat raI" = sweep
mn'ortr ot She ROY Jlar vote.
In. North Carolina the Democratic r9'ioral
There v'as q rrirnr', o. on 10 al Democrats.
hold On Nor g. stmnltnnc''islN with th" prefi-
Dental election There. wcr" two candids,Ys
for ne a GO - sonstor, N Sirmcrs chtA
tho TO, TO c%rta'ire of tho machire. tho chief
dcrendeoc" OF 'l'ocra'- In North Carolina
"a el.eohcre. and J. s Carr, the orrorent ~
the machine md Of rlutocrata cerernlIt A
warm Coutc-: took Pace. so warm in fnc' Tint
Il was rttcndc", IN man Instances. with 'ur-
mol md disorder, Nrt the resulf was 'ig'.ths
Of the pemocrn,ic 7rgani,ntion In the State
was elected b. a largo ipaiCrity.