The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-03-17
CHOOSE SENATORS
BY DIRECT VOTE
Agitation Once More Receiving
Great Stimulus.
EFFORTS OF STATES
HOW THANKING PRIVILEGE Is
ABUSED By CoNGREssMEN.
EFFORTS OF STATES
Especial correspondence.,

states senators by direct vote of the
people. It will be recalled that in April,
1899. the legislature of Pennsylvania
appointed joint c5mmittse to confer
with the legislatures of other states in
regard to the election of United States
senators by popular vote. The report
OF that committee makes interesting
reading. The committee cores onded
with the governor of every state. re-
questing that the matter of eIecting
senators by popular vote be brought to
the attention of each state Legislature.
1t also communicated with many mem
bers of the lower branch of congress.
The conclusion which the committee
reaches is that all over the
country excepting. in parts Of
New England where the pOliti-
cal conditions are different, there
Is a widespread demand that some
change be made at an early day in the
method of selecting United States SEN J
atOrs- There is little doubt that two
thirds of the states are in favor of
the election Of senator's by popular
vote"
In the opinion of the committee the
most formidable opposition to a change
IN the method of electing senators pro-
ceeos from that branch of congress. !
-Four times in recent years the house
or representatives has adopted resOlu-
tions favoring the election of senator's
by popular vote. but the senate has on
each occasion failed to approve the ac-
ton OF the house. As long as the SEN
ate is Indifferent or antagonistic, as the
case may be, no change in the present
method Of electing senators can be ex-
petted. Within the past few years the
legislatures of tweuty-seven state have
declared in favor of the election OF
senator's by popular vote. These states +
are Arkansas. California. Colorado,
Florida, Idaho Indiana. Illinois, Iowa
Kansas. Kentucky Louisiana NIichi-
gan, Minnesota, Missi sippi. Montana,
Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire,
North Carolina. North Dakota Ohio.
Oregon, Pennsylvania. Utah. Washing
ton, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
Believes Time Has Come.
Article Of the constitution OF the
United States provides that congress,
on the application of the legislatures of
two-thirds of the several states, shall
call a convention for proposing amend
me nts 70 the constitution. The COM
mittSe believes that the time has come
Tor the state legislatures to pass upon
the question whether United States
senators shall be elected by popular
vote, and that it should no longer be
sheived or defeated by members of the
senate" The Pennsylvania legislature
heartily approved the committees rec
OmmendatiOn, and on Feb last, adopt
ed The following resolution:
That the legislature of the state of
Pennsylvania favors the adoption of an
anne ndment to the constitution which
shall provide for the election os United
States senators by popular vote, and
Joins with other states of the Union in
respectively requesting that a. c0nven-
ton be called for the purpose OF pro-
posing an amendment to the cOnstitu-
tiOn which shall provide for change
IA the present method of electing Unit
ed States senators. SO that they can be
chosen in each state by direct vote
OF the people"
1t will require similar action by
twenty-nine states before it viii be
mandatory upon congress to call a con-
ventic9 TO amend the constitution. As
twenty seven states have within the
past five years declared. through their
legislatures, IN favor Of the proposed
change, it should not be difficult to
secure the requisite number. The
amendment proposed by the conven-
ton must be ratified by three-fOurths
of the states before il becomes eff
fective.
The other method Of amending the
constitution provides that the pro-
posed amendment shall receive the
votes of two thirde of the members of
each house of congress and shall then
be submitted to the states for their rat
ification. AS. according to the COM
mittee, the senate is hostile TO a change
In the method of electing senators, IA
vorable action by both branches Of con-
gress upon the. proposed amendment
seems TO be out of the question. and
the states must act themselves if they
svant senator's elected by direct vote
Of the people
Scandals ant Abuses.
The present method of electing SEN
atOrs has been prolific of scandals and
abuses. and senafOrships. it is charged,
have in some states been obtained I'M
der the most outrageous conditions. 4
reform in existing methods seems TO be
urgently required, and in nc state more
than in Pennsylvania. The committee
of the Pennsylvania legislature sug-
gests probably the most effective plan
to secure an amendment TO the cOnsti-
tuition. in view of the hostility of the
senate to the election OF senator's by
popular vote.
At the close of each session Of con-
gress. when the exodus of members,
clerks and attaches takes place, the
Washington city pOstofifce has a diff
cult time to handle the outgoing mail.
Especially is this true at the end of
n congress, when members of both
branches retire TO private life.
The reaso4s for this rush of mail is
not hard to find. Senators and repre-
sentatives have the privilege of frank
ing home their personal effects through
the mails. n theory this frankins priv
ilegC extends only TO the congressional
documents, books. papers and letters
relating to official business. but in prac-
tice it covers almost everything which
the ordinary member of the senate o.
house has in his possession. It II one
OF the perquisites connected with con
gressional life which make the life bear
able.
Toward the end of the session the
congressman finds himself presenteA
with three chests. Two OF them are
OF pine. but strongly built and braced
They are about three feet high, two
in width. and a foot and a half deep.
The third is Of cedar slightly larger
than the others When the congress
man receives his quota. OF boxes he has
nothing to pay. They come from the
official carpenter shop and are built
By the official carpenter and paid for
out of the contingent fund In fart
the PRINCIPAL duty Of the carpenter t.
70 construct the hundreds of boxes
used by members
Ships His Stuff Free
Into these boxes the member or his
clerk loads all his letter files. papers,
documents. books. maps and other pub
DeatioTas which he has in stock Type
writer's. letter presses, inkstands and
other Office DaTSnhernalia are stored
away in their recesses. Frequently
clothing. bedding and other personal or