The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1902-06-14
SAFETY
WITH THE
. PEOPLE
Senators Chosen By a Direct
Vote
Would Rob the Trusts of Their
Defenders

luo eAlStlnB neInOu OF eleCLlnB
! United States senators is opposed to
the democratic spirit of our institu.
tions. II is based, like the electoral
college. on the federallst theory that
the less direct share the people have
in their own government the better
and safer that government will be.
The experience of the republic dur
ing its whole century and a quarter
of existence demonstrates the falsity
of the theory.
Election of senators by state legis-
latures is in principle and practice
government of the masses by the
classes, and everywhere and always
government of the masses by the
classes has resulted in corruption.
special privileges and oppression.
Our method of choosing United
States senators has developed intol-
erabe abuses. Not only does 1t tend
to make the Senate a House OF Lords
for the trusts that is to say. for the
massed wealth OF the country which
is influenced neither by the moral
promptings of conscience, nor by a
patriotic sense of public obligation
but It rots the state governments.
One of the first and best results of
electing senators by the people would
be an elevatiodn of the characters Of
state legislatures.
When legislatures. as now, are
chosen not with reference to their
fitness for dealing with state needs
but merely as agents for the election
of senator 1t is inevitable that public
business should be badly done,
Every state is familiar with the
spectacle Of a legislature neglectlng
all its proper duties and giving its
whole thought to a senatorship
In many states entire sessions have
been wasted in deadlocks over the
claims OF rival senatorial candidates,
the states meanwhile going without
representation in the Senate.
Under the system of popular cleo
tion we would have an improved SEN
ate No doubt attorneys for special
interests. would still get in, but not
in such numbers as now. 1t is incom'
parably easier to buy a majority OF
a legislature than TO buy the majority
Of the voters OF a state.
It is contended that popular con-
ventions would be as easily induced
to nominate tools of the corporations
as state legislature are to elect them.
The answer TO this is that when a
legislature elects the people are pow
erless, whereas when convention
nominates the people can reject the
nominee at the polls.
Direct election Of its members
would in no wise alter the Senates
place in our system Of government.
Senators would serve for the same
term as at present, and represent the
sovereignty of their states as now.
Surely TO no true American Is there
less dignity in a commission bestowed
by the people Of a state than by a
legislature. Who afiirms that the
presidency OF the United States has
declined in power and dignity since
the people have reduced the electoral
college to a yestigal remnant and
taken the presidents election into
their own hands?
The great body OF the American peo-
ple want the change. Even the most
strenuous opponents TO the Corliss
amendment will acknowledge that II
submitted in would be adopted win
substantial unanimity.
Why. then. Is this amendment
fought so stubbornly in the Senator
Because the predatory wealth Of the
country fears Il.
All the trusts are against the
amendment. All the men Of money
who are IN the enjoyment OF special
the illegally banded
railroad owners Of the coal trust. the
monopolists Of the food trust the free
and the tarih fattened millionaires OF
innovation.
The more power the people have the
larger their direct share In the gov
ernment the harder IL will be for
acaptains Of industry" 20 procure ana
retain the special privileges which
bring them most OF their colossal rev
enues
what they dread is legislation BY
the people for all the people Instead
OF legislation for some Of the people
A senate which can be relied upoI
for class legislation. a House Of Lords
sor the trusts. Is what the privileged
and predatory rich want
No senator Who Is not afraid Of the
neople viii vote against the CoFiiss
amendment
Rut every senator who owes his seat
~ purchase with his own money or
lin he money Of special interest de-
s,r,ne an attorney 10 the senate nat
,rsilv antagonlzes the amendment
And every aspirant to the senate
.r.c,fh and dlsreputable alike
..nnot stand out against the popular
.,I n they are assailed A. they should
-.t,.l 4 ~ ths senators Who 0Wn