The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-01-14
TUESDAY, JANUARY IA, 1902.
FOR DIRECT ELECTIONS.

1t would seem that those VINO Tor
years have been advocating an amend
ment to the constitution providing for
tors by direct vote are now nearer
a point approximating success than
they have been at any time since the
agitation assumed tangible form. The
sentiment in favor OF the change has
grown wonderfully in recent years.,
despite the opposition which it has
encountered from the senate itself.
The reason for this is not hard to find.
So few senatorial elections have TAX
en- place within the past decade or SO
that have not been marked by lrreg-
ularities and corruption, real q" al
legged, that the masses of the people
have come to the conclusion a change
is needed. Scandals of the most
nauseating kind have grown out of
contests in legislatures when n
tors were elected, and deadlocks have
kept states from having their full rep
resentation in the upper house, when
all the interests of the people, not to
say anything of the justice of the
matter demanded that they should
have such representation. Bribery
and tales of bribery have marked so
many Of the senatorial elections that
the people have become disguised.
Men have been sent to the senate
with no other qualification than the
possession of wealth enough to buy
the required number of votes to in
sure their election and the people
have been helpless. The number of
men who today are occupying seats
in the highest lawmaking body of
the nation under clouded titles is
large and many of them are so we'll
known that allusion to the fact is al
most constantly appearing in the pub
lie prints. The high esteem which
once was accorded the senate and it's
individual members has passed to a
great extent, until now it is not con-
sidered as a badge of learning and
craftsmanship to occupy a seal in
that body, but rather as an evidence
of wealth Or exceptional skill in polit-
ical %chicanery and trickery.
Recent Washington dispatches say
that the advocates of the change have
discovered a method by which they
hope to soon be successful to the ex-
tent at least OF compelling congress
to order the converting of a constitu'
tional convention having for its oh
ject the amendment under considera
ton. One of the provisions of the
constitution provides that upon peti
ton of two-thirds of the legislatures
of the states congress shall call q
convention for the purpose of propos
ing amendments and which amend
ments shall be valid, provided they
are ratified by three-fourths of all the
states. Six states have already made
such petition and their petitions are
on file. One-fifth Of the required mum
Der have made call for such a con
vention. and it is believed that tbs
remaining number necessary will be
obtained soon, as quite a few legis
latures are in session or about to con
vene, and the belief prevails that the!
will be found favorable to a conven
ton of that kind. 1t is only reason
able that such belief should prevail
More than two-thirds of the states
through their legislatures have a
some time of other formally declared
themselves as in favor of the change
although they have neglected to pas
resolutions asking congress to cal
a constitutional convention.
OF course, the movement is not vel
received at Washington, particular.
in the senate and more particular.
by such of it's members who know o
believe that with such an amendmen
in effect their chances of ever gettinl
back would speedily reach the vanish
ing point. They know that it is an al
together different proposition to at
tempt to handle and juggle with al
entire state than merely fixing"
legislature. Consequently it need no
surprise any one to learn that som,
of the senators are already in the field
seeking to overcome sentiment in
their respective states and de
feat of the efforts making to induce
the legislatures to adopt the neces
sary resolutions of petition. They
may succeed, but whether they do OF
not, the time is coming when the PEG
pie will demand such a change in the
mode of electing senators, and do il