The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-01-23
MIR. Chiffon on PRIMARIES.

MIR. Chiffon ON PRIMARIES.
The Post believes In the sovereignty o,
the people and In the widest application
OF the elective franchise in the selec-
ton OF their public servants.
There is no reason why the election OF
United States senators should be 30
lodged in the several State legislatures as
to practically deprive the people Of choice
With respect thereto ~ there has ever
existed any wholesome reason for this
method OF selection the experiences OF
State legislatures N recent occurrence
have most e9ectualy destroyed H.
| state representatives and senators in
structed in advance by mass meetings,
conventions or primaries ~ 10 tho prefcr-
ences Of their constituents. dare not OPP
| pose those expressions in the deliberate
defeat Of the sovereign will In the sb.
sence 81 such easily ascertained public
choice, however legislative bodies are
subjected to influences that take on
'ormN Of deception selnshnoss. intrigue,
( chicmery. machine politics and bribery
These hold the sutfrsgan at arms length.
l take away from him the power to deter
mine who shall look after the interests OF
himself and state In the senate OF the
Nation and make him tho helpless victim
o. his own undoing
Montana's newly elected senator is today
denied r scat in the United states senate.
pending an Investigation Of the grave
charge that he obtained his election
through shameless bribery Of the legisla.
ture. This could not have happened, it
the Montana legislature had been in
structed by the people. When representa-
ttves ignore specific instructions, It is
rare indeed that they can submit an sxpa-
nation which will not destroy them.
We can not imagine Texas following
In tho footsteps OF California Pennsyl-
vania or Montana. in the selection Of a
United States senator by questionable
methods, but that is no reason why Texas
! should not relegate 90 the people tho
election OF their United States senator by
as close an approach to direct vote, as is
possible under the Federal constitution.
The primary election is the safest and
most satisfactory way OF getting at the
public wish, 1t not only secures free
expression OF the public will. incapable of
corruption or OF defeat. but leaves tho
various representative and senatorial
districts to create the State legislature
without reference to the individual views
Of It's members on the question OF who
~. Iy1ta
easy TO see where incompetent men might
be sent TO the legislature on the popularity
OF tho candidate they espoused for United
States senator, and competent men kept At
home, to the serious disadvantage Of the
State at large,
Holding these views. II Ii quito crafty
Ing TO The Post to And that Senator
Chiffon, despite the contrary Impression
sought to be created by some OF his indis-
cret friends. expresses candid willing
ness to submit his claims to a direct vote
OF the people. In signed Interview.
printed In the Atlanta Journal, Senator
Chiffon says;
made my race on the proposition that the
people should express themselves directly. |
urged this 30 perslstenuy that instructions
were given in nearly all the counties OF the
State. This was tlM first general adoption
of the system 10 Texas, The people have the
right 10 express themselves on this subject.
and every primary which noainates n can
dldate for the legislature should have vote
on United States senator 20 instruct the nomi-
nee, Every convention which dominates a
candidate for the legislature should pass a
resolution, and thus let the Texas people
speak their sovereign will on this question
BY that expression ] viii oheerfuily abide
The right OF tho people TO- by direct
vote. express their senatorial choice is
here cheerfully conceded and, as the pri-
mary election is less subject to machine
politics than the convention method, 1t
is inferentially assumed that Senator
Chiffon will not hesitate to submit his
cause to the arbltrament OF the primary
election.