Mexico Missouri message., 1901-08-08
CHOOSING OF ~
" U. S. SENATOR'S.
BY CLAUDE NORRIS.

| N'Hdlc SnOulu ne appointed by the
Executive out of Il proper number
of persons to be nominated 10y the
state Legislature"
Mr.. Madison said: 1.-The true
question is in what mode the best
choice may be made. if an election
10y the people or thru any other
channel than tie State legislature
promises us iucorrupt and impair
tlal preference of merit there can
surely be no necessity for an APP
polntmcnt 10y those legislatures,
nor Is 1t apparent that more use
full check upon the House and Ex-
ccutivc will be derived from Il Sen
at" coming from the State lrgis-
laturcS than one from the people. "
Here we have the opinions of
the leaders in that Convention.
The extreme point on the one hand
Is n Senate chosen by the State
legislatures for their family rank
and wealth, holding for life, and
aS near like the British House of
Lords as possible; and on the 9TH
cr one chosen by the people them
selves for IL specified time. Ran
doIph, Hamilton and Dickinson
set forth the English model of
government rs the best in exist.
cncc, which il I'm doubtcdly was at
that time, but feared that the gen
ius of the people would call for Il
different form. They had the
English idea in a modified form
that all virtue in government
dwcIt IN the rulers and seemed to
regard this genius" ON the part
of the people ms an evil to be- rcck-
oned with rather than commended.
Madison, Wilson and Mason look
ed 10 the people for authority and
desired government based upon
their will. These were the two
extremes. They met in compro-
mise, and we have our Constitu-
ton as result. \ Senate pro-
posed III various ways and finally
left to be chosen by the State leg
lslatures for six years meets near
the central point between the two
factions. In that Convention we
see men striving with all their
powers to prevent the adoption of
n form of government where the
will of the people would be the
dominating influence. They fear
ed the amazing turbulence" Of
the democratic spirit. Opposed to
them were men, whom time has
proven the wiser prophets, who
threw all their weight into the OPP
poSitc side of the balance, in fav-
or OF government by the people.
They feared cncrOachmcnts upou
the rights of the people by the rul-
crs Of the nation.
The House was decided upon
and the selection of its members
vested in the people. Then the
Senate was taken up. On final
adoption two different reasons
seemed to prompt different per-
sons to favor the present method
of choosing the Senators. The
admirers Of the British Constitu-
ton looked with doubt upon the
wisdom of allowing the people to
choose the members of the House
and were glad to get Senate from
Il more digniticd source. as Il check
to the dangers which they antici-
patcd from the ebullitiOns of the
democratic branch. Others feared
the cncroachments of the Presi-
dent upon the rights of the States
and the people and conceived the
idea that the liberties of the PEG
pie would be best Subservcd bv
retaining unlmpaircd the cOrpor-
ate existence of the states. and be-
llcvcd that II Senate chosen by the
legislatures would guard with
greater jealousy the rights of the
States as States than one chosen
10y the people. Each faction found
IN Senate coming from the State
legislatures protection against the
dangers which it feared in the new
government.
Were their conclusions correct!
Is the democratic spirit of the
House dangerous to the welfare of
the country! Would the Senate
he any less II check upon the House
and Executive if it were elected 10y
the people, Each branch is Il
check upon the other. hut il is alb