Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1903-04-24
pRATTLEBoRo, FRIDAY, APRIL "a, 1908
The Only Sure Remedy.

Illinois has now joined tne llst Vi
states which have passed resolutions
calling for the popular election of Unit
ed States senators. While 10 principle
the legislative method was considered
preferable at the time our system OF
government was formed experience has
turned popular sentiment more and
more strongly away from it and the re-
cent exposures, in the legislatures OF
some states, of corruption in connec-
tion with senatorial ambitions, have
given powerful impetus to the move
ment in favor of popular elections. 1t
is believed that it would be much more
difficult for an unworthy candidate to
carry popular election by means OF
money, than for him to manipulate a
legislature, where. sometimes, very
few votes need to be altered to ensure
an election.
The change desired will undoubted-
" be made sometime, but much must
be done to achieve it. Two-tbirds OF
the As states must petition Congress to
call a convention for the amendment
of the constitution and, should this be
done. the work must be ratified by
three quarters of the states. 1t Is gen
orally admitted that the people and
the lower house of Congress are ready
to do their part toward bringing about
this amendment; but great unwilling
ness exists in the senate. For that body,
it would mean radical change OF COM
position and character, and it's mem
hers are too we'll satisfied with their
present positions, privileges and pow
ers to wish any change whatever made
in the method by which they obtained
them. Public sentiment of the strong
est, most compelling kind will have to
be brought to bear long and constantly
upon each of these members in his own
home field, before senatorial consent to
the amendment can be hoped for.
But the root of the matter of honest
elections lies deeper than this question
of method. The method may help or
hinder little in the plotting of the
INSCRIPTIONS ambitious; but dis
honest election is the direct result of
the dishonesty of the individual voter ;
and if state has purchasable voters
enough, and the INSCRIPTIONS candi-
date has money enough, he will still
have his way, regardless of method.
The only sure remedy for political
corruption, with its attending injus-
tice and injury to the general welfare,
is in the education of individuals. Ii
each person who votes could be made to
understand the real meaning to him
self and his own little circle of that
vote; if he could be made to see how
surely his own dishonest vote goes on
and on multiplying in dishonesty and
finally comes back to him in the shape
of extortion and oppression and the
other very evils he is complaining
about; if he could be brought to real
ize that its effect for good or Ill is IN
finitely more to him in the end than
the paltry price of its market value,
there would not be so much selling and
trading of votes and influence.
1t depends on the individual voter
and not, very greatly, on election meth
DDS, whether we shall, as people. be
free and prosperous and contented; or
whether we shall be the slaves of trusts
and unprincipled autocrats-forced in
to treadmill life to meet their de-
mands and to carry the burdens of their
increasing taxation.
More than anything else the people
need to understand where their true
power lies.