The independent., 1902-11-06


| ent abuses: when they cannot de-
| fend it's opposition to the true prin-
ciples of a popular government, they
! fall back on their old cry that it is
the method provided by the constitu-
tion. | have just as much love for
| that sacred instrument of our liber-
| ties as any true American; but recog-
nizing that it's good has been per-
verted in this regard, eagerly COM
bat for the democratic principles upon
| which the republicylWas based.
You are told that we must not
change the constitution because it is
a time-honored, well-behaved lad.
Who, ask, is its best friend, he who
| fiatters and worships, or he who. see
| ing that evil exists, reproves and cor
| rects it? He who would make such
alterations as changed conditions nee
| essitate, or he who, recognizing that
wrongs exist, is blind or careless as
to their remedy? Spare the rod and
spoil the child" Is an old motto and
still good one.
The trainers of this great bulwark
of our nation, conceding the probable
leave the question either as to the
right to amend or the method of do
ing it in allegiance; but with that wis.
dom and foresight, which so clearly
marked their every deliberation. pro-
vided both the manner and the means
Of accomplishing this result and Of
curing all the evils that existed in
the embryo government. 1t is a pow
er which the people have taken on
several occasions-each time adding
strength to the keystone of the arch
of our advancement, each time paving
the way for the smooth progress of the
car of state on it's journey toward
equal rights to all, special privileges
to none"
Those opposed to the popular cleo
tion of senators give showers of rea-
sons why we should not change the
methods now in vogue, but their Graf
ty logic, when boiled down to its ulti-
mate conclusion, states the two prin-
ciples or propositions advanced by ev-
cry opponent of the worlds progress.
They tell us, you must prove that
there are evils in the present system,
and when we have lavished them with
the evils and deluged them with in
stances of it, they reply, prove that
your remedy will cure these evils
establish your panacea. This we feel
prepared to do.
The principle objection Is based
upon the false theory that change in
the manner of electing senators will
operate to change the very organiza-
tion of our government. And in their
ramblings from the way, they will
tell you that the reform asked would
destroy the relations not only which
the senators bear to the individual
states, but that the states themselves
would stand in a different homology
to the nation. Nothing could be fur
ther from the real truth of the prOpo-
sition. We do not propose to change
the relationship of the senate to the
states individually what we demand is
that the people shall do, what they
now do indirectly and instead of hav-
ing the senators elected by the legis-
lature, that the people as citizens of
the state and as makers of the legisla-
ture, shall do it themselves. We
would change the senate but in this
one particular. De-.
In each step toward the election of
senator under the present method
there are chances for fraud and when
ever there are chances there are in
stances. In my advance l shall cite
cases to prove each point, but would
not have you believe that because
cite but one case there are no others.
One citation that there has been wrong
will prove that there Is possibility for
wrong, and wherever wrong is possi-
Bile, there will be found those unscrup-
ulous to commit 1t. ... p
1t will be argued that IL We take
from the legislatures the power to
nominate and elect the members Of
the national senate, il we take from
them their ability to mingle in the
International affairs, that their stand
ard will be lowered, that their plane
would be decreased and the falling
tide of the peoples confidence in them
would completely ebb away. We agree
with them that the legislatures have
sunk below what should be their
standard. we agree with them that the
legislatures are not held in the respect
that thew should he What Is tha rea-