New-York tribune., 1902-04-11
FOR EQUAL SUFFRAGE.
MR.. DEPEW ON THE PROPOSITION TO
CHOOSE SENATOR'S BY Pop
ULAR VOTE

Washington. April 10.-Senator Depew. of New.
York spoke briefly to-day against the adoption Of
resolution providing for election of Senators by
popular vote. In effect he served notice on those
States which have limited the suffrage that II the
resolution enacted demand would be made
on them to give all their citizens the right to vote
or suffer a loss of representation in Congress. He
offered the following amendment TO the resolution:
The qualification of citizens entitled vote for
United States Senators and Representatives in
Congress shall he uniform in an the states and
Congress shall have power to enforce this article
by appropriate legislation, and TO provide Tor the
registration of citizens entitled to vote the conduct
of such elections and the certificate of the result
In support of his amendment Mr.. Depew spoke. in
part. as follows:
The proposed amendment under Consideration
proposes TO make the Senate popular body and
has existed DOWN to the dpoT present. time with the
adoption of such an amendment TO the constitution
the clear and logical ssquencce.
number of States have by various devices pre-
vented third a half more of citizens. recog-
nized as such by the constitution of the United
States. from exercising the right OF suffrage The
local reasons which have led TO the adoption of
these measures are not pertinent 20 this discussion
The adoption of these new constitutions IN several
States. however. containing "grandfather and
Representatives and the legislatures OF soma Of
the States TO change the representation in the
But if in The election Of United States senators
representation equal to that OF great States IKE
New-York which have manhood suffrage: II States
to have equal voice in this bodv with States
Ike Pennsylvania. of five times their pop
uaton and with manhood suffrage: If New York
which casts because of it's manhood suffrage 1547-
9l2 votes is to be neutraliZed in legislation affect
ing her vast interests by Mississippi. casting 55 900
votes because the majority of her citizens dis
franchised-then the situation becomes tntolerable
am not. under ordinary circumstances and nor
nal conditions, in favor of the proposed reduc-
ton of Representatives in the Southern States:
am not in favor of any legislation by the general
government which interfereS with the local affairs
Of those cOmmOnwealths: but if the door Is opened
by the adoption of this amendment to the constf-
tuition for the changing of the character and
stItutfon of the Senate of the United States then
power insure full and honest vote OF the citi-
of the republic and protect this body in the
election of those who NAV be designated here as
Senator's.
There nineteen States which have I'm the
aggregate less population and smaller Industrial
commercial and financial interests than the State
of New-fOrk. who represented here by thirty
eight votes. while New-YO-k has only two. Twenty
three States with population of 13. 755 36S and
casting 23632S5 votes, have a majority IN the Sem
ate. while twenty-five States. with a population OF
s0S5s51. and casting II, ,599 10 votes are In the
minority [ have the prOfOundest reverence for
the constitution Every scheme of government In
every other nation OF the world has failed and
been changed During the last century our con-
stitutfOn alone has stood Of time expert
ment and expansion Revolutions never go back
ward. With the proposed change in the constftr-
tion of the Senate the people will be. and ought
to be- fairly and equitably represented here The
next and inevitable step will be the people
and not the States control this body