The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1902-02-07
GOSSIP OF THE LOBBIES
AT THE STATE CAPITAL
How Republicans Tried Dodge the Question Of Eectng
aors by Popular vote.-A False Position--Mr. Whem's
Cane--Pcrsona1 and Political.

tBy Der e. WILLlAMSC
OLUMBUS, Feb. Sin the house
~ OF representatives, Tuesday, the
Republican majority attempted to
evade responsibility on the question OF
submitting to congress a memorial,
setting forth that 1t is the sense of the
legislature and the people of Ohio
that United States senators be elected
by direct vote of the people. The
resolution setting forth that the me-
mortal be presented to congress came
as matter of course, from the Dem
ocratic side of the house. Mr.. Carle
the young member from Seneca, a
Democratic editor, who introduced the
measure, made a strong speech In its
favor, declaring that 1t was the, best
sense of the people of Ohio that that
method be employed in the election
OF United States senator. He said
that the legislative members were
elected by counties, to make laws for
the counties, and that it was incon-
gruous that they should be called up
on to elect United States senator,
something so very foreign from the
legislation for the counties of the
state.
The Republican members knew that
the people of Ohio, or at least a great
majority of them, wanted senators
elected by direct vote of the people
and they set up the specious plea that
the last two senator's were elected by
direct vote of the people, inasmuch
as they had been endorsed by the Re-
publican convention and the people
knew for whom they were voting for
senator when they voted for members
of the legislature.
This was answered by Mr.. Carle in a
pointed argument, setting forth that
the people of counties are practically
deprived of the business of home
rule, when a contest for United States
senator Is injected into the election
of legislators. He said that he knew
many instances where Democrats
would have received votes IL 1t had not
been for the fact that the senate con-
test was on, and as result some leg
islators were sent to Columbus whom
the people did not really want In Co
lumbus save and except as their votes
would measure for United States SEN
ator, thus affecting the national and
not the state policy. He said the ap-
plication applied as we'll to Reppbli-
cans as Democrats.
Along that inc 1t is only necessary
to point to the past few elections in
Stark county as cinching the argu-
ment. 1t is well known fact that on
several occasions Democratic candi-
dates for the legislature would have
been voted for and elected by the peo-
pie had not it been for the fact that
some Republican shte leader was run
ming for senator. In the last election
that very element was potent in Stark
county, in determining the result for
The Republican members were all
aware that the people desire to be re-
lieved of this feature of the campaign
for the legislature, for they have come
to the opinion that their home affairs
ought to be settled on p basis that
will not admit of the injection Of ma
tional politics. They wanted to cyate
go the leaders, thro lsh
Representative Willis. of Hardin,
urged that the resolution be referred
to the committee on finance, being
the committe., hat has the largest
stock of aaesthetics on hand for meas
ures that might interfere with the
selection OF Senator Hanna two years
hence, for they all know tha, Mr..
Hanna as an Issue could never prevail
at the polls, and it is only through a
gagged convention that he can get an
But there were some men on the
floor that knew better than to 30 back
of the will of their constituents. DR..
Cain, prominent Foraker laan, who
doesn't care two, three or five hurrahs
whether Hanna Is elected next time or
not, said he wanted to help kill the
measure on other grounds, the grounds
being, of course, that the Republi-
cans would get the worst of 1t event
ually. He said he did not want it to
go to committee.
There was peculiar mix on this
last proposition. Mr.. Brumbaugh. the
Democratic leader, declared that the
movo to refer it to committee was only
to avoid going on record, as 1t would
never be reported, and he asked the
on the Republican side to be
brave. honest and fearless. He didn't
want them to sneak out of the qucs-
tlon. He said he knew what would
happen to the measure II 1t went to
for the same violent death
was In store forit that was met by the
n.