The Tucson citizen., 1902-05-01

choosing senators 10 lHe proposed pidn
of turning that function over 70 ma
jority of the majority party in State
AS we stated then, the
members of the legislature are under
oath, and certain qualifications are re-
uuired to make them eligible. There
is no qualification laid down for del
egate to the State convention OF a
party. He might be an ex-convict, |
dlsfranchsed as punishment for |
crime. and he could sell his vote as a
delegate to the highest bidder without |
any one being privileged to call him to
order.
The Denver Post however, has fully
committed itself to the proposition to
strike down the constituent character
of the States and deprive them of rep
resentation in the Senate. The Post
favors the expulsion of the States from
the Senate for more reasons than one,
but the chief reason seems 10 be that
deadlocks in its legislature often de-
prive a State of its voice in the Senate.
Therefore, it argues that all the States
should be permanently deprived of
their representation in that body
1t is true that State has chosen to
go unrepresented sometimes as
choice between two evils. Delaware
at this time is an example of this. 1t
prefers to go for time without repre-
sentation rather than be improperly
represented. 1t Is an excellence of
the constitutional system that 1t has
that choice. But when its Senators
are elected in a party convention,
that choice will be taken from it. The
Denver Post says: Our able Tucson
contemporary, being published in a
Territory, probably never had oppor-
tunity to see a Senator elected by
State legislature, and probably never
heard of the amount of Doodle that Is
sometimes used in that transaction"
We can assure our Denver contem-
porary that we have neard all about 1t.
We have also heard or improper infiu-
ences being sometimes exerted to elect
Representatives in Congress, and even
Presidents. The ablest and most per-
sistent advocate of the election of
senators by popular vote, a gentleman
who resides when at home at Lincoln,
in the State of Nebraska, has specific
ally charged, and We nave no doubt
with good reason, that the people were
bribed and bought twice in Presiden-
tial elections. Therefore. by parity
elections out of the Constitution.
The trouble with the Denver Post is
that 1t loses sight of the fact that the
Constitution makes the enduring and
indestructible states the constituency
Of the Senate, but discovers that some
times deadlocks occur In legislatures
over the election OF Senators, which
cause neglect of the purely legislative
business of the State. At present we
recall no instance In which a State has
been invalided on that account
Apparently all pressing public business
has been attended to while legislatures
meet every day for roll call on Sena-
tor. We believe the only legislature
that has been convened in extra ses-
sion this season because OF neglect to
properly transact public business at
its regular session is in Colorado,
where there was no Senatorial dead
lock, but the legislature went jocund
and promptly to the choice of the able
junior senator from that alpine State
The makers of the Constitution
aimed to connect popular government
with stability. They secured this, as
far as the legislative branch is con-
cerned, by giving Senator's a six years
term and the State for constituent.
so that passing tempest of popular
unrest, temporary epidemic of
change that might not be reform,
might be spent without using the Sen
| atS W llbpltsS ltSSII upon national
policy. 1t is one of the rationalizing
checks of our system, interposed to
give the sober second thought of the
people a chance to assert itself. When |
! congress comes to consist of, two |
Houses of Representatives, with the
same constituency, this check is re-
moved, and nothing is proposed to
take its place.
The struggle of civil government for
ages has been % attain stable par
| iamentary system. Decades and CEN
turtles were spent in a painful effort TO
secure stability with a parliament of I
one house and of common tenure and
constituency. Every system inclusive
OF such plan famed England was
the first beneficiary of the process of
evolution which nrpdunoJ tu.o