Evening star., 1902-03-11
CHOICE OF SENATORS
Popular Election Discussed in
the Senate.
A REPORT is DESIRED
MIR. HOAR EXPRESSES HIS OPPO-
SITION.
Mr.. Thayer Wants Charges Rejecting
on Advocates of Cuban Reciprocity
Investigated-PostO Office Bill.

the request of Mr. CuIlom Gll), one of the
confrees disagreed to the conference re-
port on the bill providing for the carrying
into effect of the stipuia tions of article
Of the Paris treaty. The Senate insisted
upon its amendments and Messrs. Cullom,
Lodge and Morgan were named as con-
ferees Article : relates to the payments
Of claims in Cuba, and tne bill proposes to
amend the act creating the Spanish claims
commission so as to provide for the at
tendance of witnesses.
In a privileged statement Mr. Berry
(Ark.) said he had introduced early in the
present session resolution providing for
the election of senators by direct vote of
the people, This, together with a similar
resolution adopted by the House of Repre-
sentatiyes had been referred to the commit
te privileges and elections The House
had passed such resolution four times.
but the question never had been considered
by the Senate.
Pressed by Correspondents.
tie was being pressed constantly he said
by correspondents to know when a vote
would be taken upon the question blythe
Senate. He did not want to move to dis
charge the committee from consideration of
the resolution. but he desired to inquire of
III" chairman of the committee whether the
Serate could not have a vote upon the reso-
luton during the present session
Mr.. Burrows (Michl, chairman of the
saying that what MIR. Berry had said was
true. added: Il will say to the senator that
there is no disposition on the part of the
committee to shirk responsibility in con
ne ction with the resolution. Action upon
1t will be taken and report upon 1t will
be made.
In time to take a vote upon it at this
session. inquired Mr.. Berry.
II have no doubt of it, replied Mr.. Bur-
rows.
Mr. Mitchell (Oregon). in statement "a
support of what Mr.. Berry had said, ex-
pressed the hope that the committee on
privileges and elections would see its way
clear to report the resolution either favor
ably or adversely at early day in order
that the Senate might have opportunity to
act upon it.
Mr.. Mitchell. who has also introduced
similar resolution which is before the COM
mittee. said that In 1896 that committee had
reported favorably on similar proposed
amendment to the Constitution. He said
that he receiving letters daily urging
him to do all that he could to secure early
and favorable consideration of this proposed
amendment. He hoped that the committee
would be able at a very early day to take
action on the matter.
Senator Hoar's Statement.
Senator Hoar. one of the members Of me
c. mmittee, said that he did not wish the
statements of the two senators from Ar
kansas and Oregon to go in the record
without word or two on the general SUBJ
ject.
This is one of the most important ques-
tions, he said. that has come up for con-
sideration in the Congress of the United
States since the adoption of the Constitu-
ton 1t IS the first serious proposition to
destroy the principle upon which the legis-
iauVe powers of the government are
founded Other amendments have been
made TO the Constitution TO secure human
rights in the nature of bill of rights, and
one amendment was made to change the
mechanism for the election of President
but this is proposition to change the prin-
c1ple upon which the Constitution is based
a principle without the adoption Of which
the Constitution never would have been
agreed 10 by the states
He referred to the great struggle that was
made in the constitutional convention in
order to secure the principle of equal repre-
sentation in the United States Senate for
each of the states The states had been
given assurances that this principle should
never be destroyed without the consent of
every one of them The principle involved
the election of a Senate by body chosen
by the people, but removed from direct pop
ular vote by means of the state legislature
The proposition to have senators elected by
direct vote simply means a Encouragement
OF the two houses so that there would be
two houses of Representatives instead of
House and a Senate. He did not believe
that this could be accomplished without a
o.! preach Of the national pledge which lies at
the foundation of the government the adop-
ton OF which was essential to the adoptiOn
Of the Constitution itself
Mr.. Hoar referred to the statement Of
Senator Berry, In effect that he had many
letters from people asking that this amend
ment to the Constitution be adopted. He
said that he also had many letters but he
was convinced from the wording Of them
that they all emanated from a single mind
He had hundreds of letters and all of them
ended with this expression: Il hope we
will hear from you He asked whether
any other senators recognized that phrase
and several ga He'd I n
Mr.. Hoar was satisfied that when this
question was discussed before the American
people they would not vote to do away with
the old guarantee that was given the states
Il will not yield said he "without a
struggle. ! will not consent to overflow
this body until the American people have
thoroughly considered what they are
about.
Mr.. IIoar said that he would see that
this resolution was thoroughly discussed in
committee. He said he was not to be hur-
rled and the Senate was not to be hurried
In considering 1t if he could help it.
Mr.. Berry Replies.
Mr.. Berry said that this was not a time
to discuss the merits of the resolution, but
that if the senator from Massachusetts
would urge his committee to bring that
resolution before the Senate then 1t could
be thoroughly discussed and his arguments
would be answered. He declared that the
Senate had right to insist that it's COM
mittee make report on resolution re-
ferred to 1t. He did not think the senator
from Massachusetts, would say that the COM
mittee had the power to reprive the Senate
OF the right to vote resolution. He
was certain from what the chairman had
said that the resolution would be reported
He felt sure that every member of the
committee was ready to vote on It. He be-
neved that there was a general sentiment
throughout the country in favor of the
proposition.
Senator Dubois said that the contention
In the constitutional convention was for
the right OF each state to have two SEN
ators. and did not relate to the method of
their election. He said that If the Senate
did not act on this matter he believed the
states themselves would shortly take 1t
out of the hands of the Senate and act on
II lie wanted the question debated in the
Senate and he did not like an tntimation
that tactics would be pursued, which had
been pursued for eight or ten years, look
Ing TO keeping this question in the commit
tee and away from the Senate.
Agrees With Mr.. Hoar.
Senator Stewart agreed with what Sen
atOr Hoar had said and pronounced the en-
tire proceeding to have senators elected
by direct vote of the people as revolution
ary. He said there were many reasons be-