Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-12-08
ORGANIZE FOR A
PROT on NrissIasaa t'.s,saa sasas sssss !
5sENAT oRIAL COME RENEE
ELECTS OFFICERS AND
ADOPTS NAME
Will Be Known as "The Interstate
Senatorial Convention"-Ask Con-
gress to Call a Constitutional Con-
vention For Amendment.

DeS MONIES, DeC. 1.-DeSpdlIlAS VI
ever getting congress to submit con-
stitutional amendment to the state
Legislatures, the senatorial conference
yesterday outlined campaign to get
the state legislatures to demand con-
stitutional convention. The end sought
is the election of United States SEN
ators by popular vote.
The conference favors the calling OF
constitutional convention only be-
cause it believes 1t impossible to get
the senate to act with the house of the
congress in proposing an amendment
for the direct election Of senators by
the people.
The conference adjourned in the af-
ternoon, but before adjourning 1t ar
ranged for the perpetuation Of its
work by completing a permanent or
ganization which will conduct cam
paign to secure from congress call
for constitutional convention.
Executive Committee Named.
Thomas A. Cheshire of Des Moines,
Iowa. was named chairman of an ex-
ecutive committee of five to take
charge Of the movement. His asso-
ciates are Thomas J. Herman of Louis
lana, Frank 9. Goudy Of Colorado,
! w. R. Ellis of Oregon and G. M. Kim
brough Of Indiana.
The work of the committee and the
new organization will be directed to
ward securing from the thirty-seven
state legislatures that meet this win
ter demands upon congress for a con-
stitutional convention to which the
conference unanimously committed
itself. The organization chose for
itself the name Of ''the interstate SEN
atorial convention and Congressman
Strobe of Nebraska is it's first presi-
dent.
Demand Election Amendment
The conference committed itself
only upon the specific senatorial elec-
/ tfon amendment. If congress acts and
submits this specific amendment to the
states then the convention will be dis
solved. If 1t refuses to do this then the
movement to secure constitutional
convention will be prosecuted vigor-
ously.
The powers of the executive COM
mittee and the purposes of the conven-
tion were set forth in set of resolu-
tions.
The delegations of the conference
were entirely harmonious and all of
its final actions were practically unan-
imous. In all twelve states were rep
resented by thirty-three delegates.
Following are the resolutions adopt
/ ed:
The Resolution.
Whereas, it is the Judgment of this
1 convention that the legislative branch
of the national government should be
/ placed more directly under the control
of the people of the several states
and,
Whereas, There exists, and has long
existed. strong popular demand for
the election of United States senators
by the direct votes of the people. and
said demand is. in the opinion of this
convention we'll founded, and
4 'Whereas, The constitution of the
United States provides only two meth
DDS whereby the provision respecting
i the election Of United States senators
NAV be changed, and
"Whereas. The method ordinarily
i; adopted of congress on its own initia
tive submitting to the several states q
!, proposed amendment has heretofore
!, been ineffective, owing to the refusal
of the United States senate to submit
such proposed amendment to the sew
!. eral states, and
{; "Wherens. There is no alternative
for accomplishing the desired reform
save by an appeal by at least two
thirds of the states toto congress ask
ing that a constitutional convention
be called Be 1t therefore
Resolved, That while this conven
, ton would much prefer that congress
should submit to the several states &
proposed amendment to the constitu
tion for the election Of senators by di
rect vote of the people, SO that the
states might pass upon it as single
question. yet inasmuch as the senate
persistently refuses to submit sucl
amendment, it therefore earnestly re
commends that the legislatures O
the several states do. in pursuance o
! article v of the constitution OF thu
: United States, make application to tb.
!, congress to call convention for the
+ purpose OIL proposing amendments u
the constitution of the United States
Be it further
Resolved, That the president an.
secretary of this convention be, ant
/, same are hereby, instructed to trans
NIT duly certified copies of these reso
lutions to the chairman OF the aationa
, committee and of the several stat,
committees of the two leading politi
) cal parties. also to the governors o
t the respective states, to each membe
4 of. congress and to the president
D THAT in transmitting the copies to III
, governors of the states, the presiden
Z and secretary of this convention shal
a enclose a letter, urging each OF then
! to lay these resolutions before the leg
lislature of his state"