The Saint Paul globe., 1904-06-20
MONDAY. JUNE 20, 1904
AN INNOVATION

If one turns to the lists Of delegates
to national political conventions only
few years back he will find it the ex-
ception when United States senators
are included. Today when a conven-
tiOn meets it is taken practically for
granted that the two sitting senators
viii be two of the delegates at large to
the national convention Of the party
members of the United States senate
as now constituted there will not be a
bakers dozen absent from the big con-
ventions at Chicago and St, Louis this
year.
This has all come about gradually as
matter of course, as sort of nemi-
nal recognition of the high place of
United States senator in the political
body. Yet we think it has considerably
more significance than this. Every OBJ
server Of the bent of things political
has been struck with the recent in
crease in power Of the United States
senate and with it's steady purpose to
absorb more and more. The senate is
a sort of continuing Institution. Only
one-third of its members retiring each
two years, there is always a big ma
jority of men imbued with the tradi-
tions of that body, faithful to it's inter-
ests and determined upon their ad-
Vancement. Thus the senate undoubt-
edly does grow in power and prestige
and ambition, and more than once its
pretensions have had to, be met and
checked suddenly by either the house
of representatives or the executive
1t cannot be other than that this
custom Of making delegates out of sen
ators should affect very largely the re-
lations between the senate and the
president. The latter is now quite Ger.
ta1niy in the power of the former.
President Roosevelt's surrender to the
senators. individually and collectively,
has been not only complete, but abject.
He has governed for more than a year
O~NN
past precisely as they directed; from
Platt, of New York, and Quay. of
Pennsylvania. down to Foster. of
Washington: What hope of change In
this is there if his prospect of succeed
ing himself iseto be determined or his
successor named by these same SEN
ators themselves?
A United States senator is a nerscn
who demands and receives some re-
spect and Difference among his politf-
cal associates. The two senators from
a state. commanding the patronage
that they do. will in nine cases out OF
ten dominate the entire delegation
from that state, unless it be very large.
They have tie power of reward and
punishment. They can give Office. and
they can take it away. Sooner or later
the practical politician finds 1t most
comfortable to himself to WELD tn the
senators wishes. 1t follows neees-
sarfly that where. both senators aeraa
they can practically swing a state dele
cation at their will. 1t follows from,
this that the custom of sending SEN
ators as delegates at large will end
eventually in placing the selection of
presidential candidates almost entire
Iy' as a matter of fact. with members
of the United States senate.
This would be not only a great inno-
walton, hut a great misfortune r.ba
tradition Of the past was a better one
and sholld be restored. The once OF
senator is sufficient unto itself, both In
dignity and in power. It needs no ac-
cessaon of authority and the public
can i'll AFFORD to have It's authority un-
ouly enhanced. The anabitisN of the