The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1902-01-21
SENATORS AND THE 'oNSIl'
TUITION.

TUITION.
The fact that the legislatures ot SIN
states have signiaed their wish 'ha'
tho federal constitution should De
amended to provide for the popular
election Of United States senators four
~ them in so doing having observer
the REQUIRED formali,ies, does not point
strongly to the adoption of such an
Amendment in the near future 'housn
Il may serve to stimulate interest IN
a s,mewha, languid dis -uSsion. l; Is
practically certain that Of the TWO
methods Of calling a constitutional
convention the one permitting the
states to take the initiative viii have
TO be invoked II a change in the or
eanlc law in respect 10 the election
~ senators is to Ne attempted, At
prsssn, there is not the slightest r5a-
son 10 suppose that the upper branch
~ congress would voluntarily consent
bv the necessary two-thirds majority
70 call a convent n for that purpose
which leaves the advocates II the pro
p,sal under the necessity ot psrsuadins
tho legislatures OF ,wo-thlgds Of the
states TO unite in demanding one. Four
have already taken thar course, which
is doubtless a beginning, but the end
still appears exceedingly remote
Twenty-six more must follow suit be-
fore anything can come of It, and even
il the requisite support for the ars'
step could he procured, obstacles OF
-midab.e character woull remain.
Il is probable. for Instance. that con-
s,itut.onal convention c'uii no: he
confined to the single issue u choos-
ing senators by popular vate. sut that
other questions would ari.e to produce
complications AMI ap,ag0 ni-ms unfa-
vorable TO affirmative action on any
Of them. Again. if a convention should
with difficulty be brought 10 approve
the proposed amendment Affecting
senators It's decision would furnish no
assurance If subsequent ane.on by
the requisite ;hree-faur,hs O. the
states. IT, agree to a iisaus-i is one
th.n- tu, t. accept the result Of the
discussion is quite another.
How strong a public sentiment there
is behind the demand flr the POPULAR
election % senator's it is impossible to
determine The declaration is easily
and frequently made that the peoHie .
are Overwhelmingly in favor ot the .
proposition. and many political plat
forms Of greater or lass signlA ance .
have been made to say SO vi.h great .
confidence. But such prouunciamen.os .
are not necessarily the bes, kind of .
evidence. scout assertions in the name
Of one party or the other are continu-
ally repudated at the polls and some
times in the most disdaintul manner
II the entire electorate Of the United
States could be required TO yo;e on
this question six months hence, there
is not a prophet in the country, in our
opinion, who could safely offer large
odds on either side at the present time,
and we suspect that the verdict would
be extremely uncertain on the day
before the election
There is one indication Of popular
feeling which, as 1t appears TO US,
tends rather 10 discredit than sustain
the opinion Of those who contend that
a large majority Of the people would
like to vote directly for senator's in (
their respective states. It is always
practicable 70 make the election Of an ]
individual 70 the senate an issue in I
state campaign, with the effect Of
binding the representatives Of his =
party in the Legislature TO choose him n
If they obtain control. II is familiar :
fact that this practice has been adopt ;
ed in various instances, but It would
be far more common, we think, II the u
object which it accomplshes by indl- "
rection we're anywhere near 50 widely Z
sought as it is sometimes assumed 70
be. The method by which presidents
are chosen is a case in point. The =
trainers Of the constitution meant that :,
The electors should possess and exer- II
Use full authority instead Of being, HI
Is they long have been, merely instru-
nents for recording the will Of the
'oters from which they derived their q.
IN conformity to the letter cr