The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1901-02-25
MONDAY. FEBRUARY as. 1901.
SPEAKING about how difficult it has

SPEAKING about how difficult it has
become for the Legislatures to elect
u. S. Senators, the Baltimore Sun
publishes very comprehensive ar
ticle on the subject. For several
years we have been convert to the
principle that all persons holding
office should be elected by the peo-
pie. For that reason we nave been
an advocate OF the people voting
for L. S. Senator'S. If that had been
possible, there would not today be
a vacancy IN the Senate from Della
ware nor the useless wrangle now
going on. The Sun says:
1.-The question OF the election OF
Senators BY the people rather than
by the State Legislatures, obtains
additional importance and interest
from the fact that IN recent years
the Legislatures more and more
fail to elect. States are now every
year left without representation IN
the Sen ate, owing to the lncapaclty
Of Legislatures to do their duty.
March is now near at hand, yet the
Legisl atures of Delaware, M on
tapa, Nebraska and Oregon, which
met early in January, are still bal
lotlng for Senators without result
In two OF these States, both Sena.
tors are to be elected, and there is
prospect that these States will be
without representation in the next
Congress-. In some States the sit
ting Of the Legi slature is restricted
to certain small number OF days
once in two years, with the result
that failure to elect can't be reme-
died for twoyears. Two years ago
ia Delaw are California, Pennsylva-
MIA, and Utah, the Legislatures
balloted for Senators until their
terms expired and in the following
Congress one seat for each State was
vacant. AS the Leglsl atures be-
come more and more corrupt, they
are less and less able to agree on
the merits of public men. In many
States there is no certainty the
Legislatures will act. The injury
to the State OF not having its quota
of Senators to look after its inter-
ests, is obvious. Presumably the
main function OF the Legislature Is
to make laws, but the SenatorsElp
tends to become the chief business
of the session when two or more
millonaires are competing for the
prize. These facts enforce the pop
ular demand for election by the
people. There are objections TO
eiectlug Senators on a general tick
ct like the Governors. There are
objections, more or less valid, 10
every way OF doing anything, but a
popular vote tor Senator would al
ways produce result-woulu elect
and the same cannot be said Tor
the votiug OF Legislatures. Not the
least charm oil the proposal to com.
NIT the election to the people Is the
consideration thatitls more difficult
TO influence the whole people IN la.
vor of an unfit man than it IS 10
control boss-rldden Legislature.
THE Every Evening evidently does
not think Attorney James II. Hughes
knows it all and thus speaks OF the
decision read by him in the Senate
on the liquor lees bill, which passed
the Senate by vote oil Toto I:
'.ln the State Senate at Dover,
Lieut.. Gov. Cannon, as presiding
officer. gave a ruling to the elect
that the bill dividing the fees from
licenses for the sale Of liquor be-
tween the State and the lucorpora'
ted cities and towns i'll which such
licenses were applied Tor, was not
constitutionally passed by the Sen
ate, after having been approved by
the House, because 1t did not re-
celvc three-iourths vote. The
opinion oil Mr.. Hughes was that the
bill was an appropriation bill, and
therefore, under the Constitution,
required d three-iourths vote TO IN.
sure its passage.
Lieut.. Gov. Cannon, in accepting
this ruling of Attorney Hughes i
paid agent o. the eglslature-dic
all injustice IN deciding that th'
bill was lost, notwithstanding the
fact that it had received ~ attirma
tive votes TOT in the negative. The
contention raised by Attoruc!
Hughes is one that courts Of the
State should be required to pass
upon, and not one to be decided b,
the opinion of Attorney Hughes.
IN fact. there are numerous law
yers in the State who think the,
know more about this matter thai
Attorney Hughes knows, notwlth
standing the fact that he secure'
the accidental appointment Of at
torney to the Legislature. Let II
have the decision Of the judges o
our courts upon the matter. Tn
people will be justified in believing
that our judges know more abou
the whole subject than Attornc.
Hughes possibly can know.
Attorney Robert llarman doe
not share the opinion of .Nttornc,
Hughes and Mr.. Hartman is locke
upon as one OF our able young law
yers Ed. REPrBLIlAN
THE writer IN Saturday 3 Ever
Evening who signed himself Jus
tice' must not think because he
thief that every other man Is on