The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-03-14
LET Us STAND WITH THE FATHERS.


Congressional discussion for some time
past has dealt so extensively with questions
Of colonial and commercial policy that one
turns with a sort OF relief TO Senator Hoar's
strong speech against the proposition to
elect United States senator's by direct vote
Of the people. The fact that the United
States has become a world power should
not make the American people forget that
they are primarily a home power. What
ever claims our foreign policy may have TO
consideration our domestic policy has
greater, and the duty of conserving the
fundamental principles of the Constitution
intact should not be permitted TO be over
Swallowed by any other. 1t was from this
high point of view and in this serious sense
that Senator Hoar treated the proposition
to make senators elective by direct vote Of
the people. No man in the Senate is better
qualified by general learning and knowi-
edge of the principles of government and
reverence for the work of the fathers to
place the subject in its proper light than
the venerable senator from Massachusetts.
He placed the question on the high ground
where it belongs, proposition 10
change the principle on which the Con-
stitutiOn is founded and in effect TO undo
and revolutionize the work of its trainers.
1T is" he said, the first serious effort
made TO change the mechanism involved
in the principles of the Constitution" OF
course the mechanism referred TO is that
by which the members of one house of
Congress, the popular branch, are elected
by direct vote of the people, and those Of
the other house, which was intended pri-
marily TO represent the State and not the
people, are chosen by the State Legisla-
lures. This compromise solution Of diff
ficult question was regarded by the trainers
of the Constitution as one of the happiesr
achievements of the convention. 1t was in
the nature of a compact among the States
that the small ones should continue TO en-
JOY this sort Of recognition and representa-
ton on the same footing the large
ones. THE solemn pledge was given to
States" says Senator Hoar. that the
equality of the States never should be de-
stroyed without the consent of every one
of them" OF course it is competent for the
people to amend the Constitution. They
can amend it out of existence and thereby
establish an entirely different form of gov
eminent if they choose to exercise their
power in so baneful a planner. The ques-
ton is not as to their right or power to
amend the Constitution, but to the wis
dom of eliminating one of its most dis
tinctive and venerable features. In his
ferred to the Supreme Court and the United
States Senate as the two great bodies OF
the government which were free from the
influence of popular movements and popu-
lar excitement The Senate he said. was
the greatest deliberative assembly in the
world and he believed il the duty of the
people 20 stand firm before the proposition
to strike down one of the two glories of
the Republic. Every intelligent American
must admit the force OF this statement.
Who would wish to see the judges of the
Supreme Court made elective by the peo-
pie. or who would wish to have the Senate
made any more responsive to and affectible
by popular clamor than il is now? The
Senate may have its faults, but, on the
whole. it is an able and dignified delibera-
tive body, and whatever its faults may be
| there is no reason to believe they would be
/ cured by making the senators elective by
the people. Senator Hoars speech is a
timely protest against the popular election
sentiment that is being worked up.