The Washington times. (Washington [D.C.]) 1901-1902, 1902-06-12
Senate Refuses to Relieve
1t of Further Con-
sideration.
MATTER INDEFINITELY POSTPONED
Mr.. Hoar Suggests Election of Senators
by Plurality Vote After Certain
Number of Ballots - Mr.. Bailey to
Renew Motion.

By vote of twenty-one to thirty five,
the Senate yesterday laid on the table
the pending motion made some time ago
| by Mr.. Berry dem, Ark TO discharge
the Committee on Privileges and Elec-
! items from the further consideration of
the House joint resolution proposing an
amendment to the Constitution author
izing the election of Senators by popular
vote.
This action of the Senate is construed
as the postponement of this mooted
question until next December.
Laid Before Senate.
1t was just after the morning bust
ness when the President pro TEN. laid
before the Senate the motion to dis
charge the Committee on Privileges and
Elections from the further consideration
of the House joint resolution relating
to the election of Senator by popular
vote
Mr. Clapp (Rep., Mimi spoke at con-
siderable length in favor of electing Sem
ators by popular vote. He wanted the
Senate TO have an opportunity to vote
on the House joint resolution, and there
fore favored the pending motion.
Break Away From Influence.
Mr.. Clapp believed that there was
nothing that would so strengthen a Sen
%
as breaking away from the influence of
Legislatures and leaders. He took the
careers of Mr.. Hoar and Mr.. Morgan as
Illustrations of his theory.
Mr.. Hoar believed the solution of the
problem lay in a bill providing that after
certain L inber OF ballots for United
States Senal or in Legislature, an cleo
ton be rl03e by plurality vote.
Mr.. SLoo.rr CRep., Wis., asked Mr..
Burrows. hartman OF the Committee
the committee was still considering the
House joint resolution. MIR. Burrows re-
piled that the resolution was still be-
fore the committee, but had not been
considered while the motion to discharge
was pending. If the committee were not
discharged II would continue to consider
the resolution.
Possibility of Report.
Mr. Blackburn ODem., Ky.). a member
Of the committee, asked Mr.. Burrows
whether there was possibility of a re-
port being made, and whether the only
way to get the matter before the Senate |
was not to discharge the committee.
Mr. Burrows said he was not prepared |
TO make that statement. All he could |
say was that If the Senate refused TO |
discharge the committee, the committee |
would resume consideration of the joint |
and do the best It could to
reach a conclusion.
After further discussion. Mr.. Black
burn announced his determination to
have a vote on the subject, and said |
hat to this purpose he would renew the
notion to discharge the committee ev-
FRY day in the morning hour until q
vote could be had upon it,
Mr.. Bailey's Prophecy.
Mr.. Bailey Dem., Texas, also a mem
Der of the committee, prophesied that
he few Senator'S who were opposed to
my change in the system of electing
senator's would coalesce with those other
Senator's who favored the Depew amend
nent, and that if the joint resolution
we're reported with that amendment all
he Democratic Senators would vote
against It and would. with the aid OF
he Senators averse to any change, de-
eat the joint resolution.
Mr.. Foraker did not believe in chang
ing existing conditions. Though Il mem
Der of the committee. he would vote for
the motion so that the question could
once for all be settled. II 1t was de-
rIded to adopt the resolution he would