The Tucson citizen., 1902-04-16
EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT

ing senator ulSlnteCt II. W III II not De
found that the kind OF Senators elect
ed in the same ballot box will grad
ually approximate the legislators who
are now denounced? And then, in
stead of getting better Senate, ii will
have all the weakness and the Vices
which it is now charged that the peo-
pie choose to represent them in the
legislature.
1t has served the purpose of parti-
sans TO decry and bellttle the Senate by
declaring It's origin to be corrupt and
its members indebted to something else
than their fitness for the seats they
hold. 1t has suited the partisan press
to draw impressive pictures OF the cor
rupt influences which are alleged TO
be used in legislatures in Senatorial
elections The body itself has been
stigmatized as a rich mans club, and
the average politician, at loss for
something to attack. has. by flying at
the Senate, succeeded in affecting
portion OF our people with the belief
that it has no place in popular sys-
tenn of government Yet 1t remains the
only branch Of the government where
the mind of the people may be
spoken by the voice OF authority. NO
committee of that body prohibits de-
bate. denies the right of amendment OF
a measure, condemns member to sit
through his term unrecognized and
without right to the floor nor in any
otner way degrades the equal States
there represented
AS for corruption in election of Sen
ators by legislatures. II they be elect
ed at the polls they will be nominated
convention representing the majority
party will therefore actually elect the
Senator'S. That function will therefore
be transferred from legislature. an
official body, which acts under legal
restriction and the restraint OF an
oath, to an unofficial body. with no
lawful restraint or authority. and
whose members do not feel the grip OF
an oath on their conscience. Such
convention will have In 1t the unfit
cred feculence of party politics, risen
to the surface out of the fermentation
| - a;ttoc WIN SOMA ora Toll ,,a ubara-
in it is to be an Improvement upon a
Legislature as the origin of Senate of
the United States? 1t is within the ex-
perience OF all men who have had
practical contact with politics that the
State legislator Is apt to be a grade
above Tie delegate to a State conven
ton. The law repires that he have a
certain qualification as to age. length
of residence and in some States GER
tain educational qualifications are
necessary which affect the legislative
selection favorably. but the law fixes
no purifying qualification for the con-
vention delegate. He need not even be
a citizen of the United States: he may
be disqualified from voting by crime
he may be Dy law prohibited from
holding any of the Offices which he nlls
by his nomination; he can boldly and
without fear stand in the market
place and sell his vote to a candidate
for the Senate, and there is no law to
punish him. 1t is saying among the
Kind OF professional politicians whose
practice is confined to party conyen~
tlgns hat no man has to be more
at ,.le door Of party convention, and
selling votes is not prohibited by sta
tate. the transfer 10 such a body Of the
practical election Of n Senator Will
cause in fact those offenses against
political morality which now I'll many
chapter of fiction in the attacks
made upon the Senate,
Finally, then. will it be worth while
to muttlate the Constitution. eliminate
it's most important checks, degrade the
States to inequality i'll one coordinate
branch Of the government. cndauger
the merging Of the two Houses into
one. destroy the right of Tree discus
sion IN the Senate, and give impulse TO
change in our system of govern
ment which will peryade Its every part
breaking and weakening the structure
like an earthquake as it runs. all in the
idle expectation that party conven-
: tion in a State is to be a fountain of
} purity, vestal and unspotted, to pour
t forth Senator's Of virgin purity high
, patriotism. great ability.
Tinkering with the Constitution of
the United States is not a work de-