The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-05-01

while a member OF the house of rep
resentatfves as one of the managers
In the Belknap impeachment trial in
1869, made this startling and Impress
i've statement:
MY own pu&ic life has been very
brief and insignificant one, extending
little beyond the duration of single
term of senatorial Office; but in that
brief period / have seen five judges
of high court of the United States
driven from Office, by threats of Inn
parchment fOr> corruption or malad-
ministration. l have heard the taunt,
from friendliest lips. that when the
United States presented herself in the,
east to take VT with the civilized
world in generous competition in the
arts of life, TIE only product in her
institutions m which she surpassed all
others beyond question was her cor
ruption.
Il have seen in the state in the union
foremost in power ana wealth four
judges of her courts impeached for
corruption, and the political admins
tration of her chief city become dis
grace and byword throughout the
world. have seen the chairman of
the committee on military affairs in
the house, now distinguished men,
Der of this court, rise in his place and
demand the expulsion of four of his
associates for making sale of their
official ,sprivilege of selecting the
youths to be educated at our great
military school. When the greatest
railroad in the world, binding together
the continent and uniting the two seas
which wash our shores, was finished,
l have seen our national triumph and
eXultationN turned to bitterness and
shame by the unanimous reports of
three committees of congress-two of
the house and one here--that every
step of that mighty enterprise had
been taken in fraud.
81 have heard in highest places the
shameless doctrine avowed by men
grown old in public Office, that the
true way by which power should be
gained in the republic is to bride the
people with the Offices created for
their service, and the true end for
which it should be used when gained
is the promotion of selfish ambition
and the qualification of personal re-
venge. l have heard that suspicion
haunts the footsteps of the trusted
companions of the president.
These things have passed into his
tory. The Hallam or the Tacitus or
the Sismondi or the Macaulay who
writes the annals of our time will
record them with his memorable pen"
The comparison which is thus drawn
between the senate of today and the
corruption which threatened to over
whelm the country thirty-tive years
ago can but rebound to the benefit
of the senate. The demoralizing
forces now at work produce no such
examples of debauchery and corrup-
ton as Senator Hoar depicted. Things
are bad; but they have been worse,
and if we seek remedy for the evils
which are now apparent. it is easy to
find and also easy to apply.
Dangers of Direct Election.
There is a widespread clamor for
the election of senators by the direct
vote OF the people. and in measure
this system of electing men for this
exalted position already obtains in the
south in the party primaries.
1t works we'll there; but it is doubt
full if the same results would be OBJ
tanned in the other portions of the
country. The southern people are far
more homogeneous than those of any
other part of the union. They are
more American in their lineage and
in all of their ideals than are the peo-
pie of any other section, and the fact
that there is practically only one party
and that partizan politics have small
sway in the south makes it possible
to have men of the highest character
and attachments chosen in the pri-
maries. If we should attempt to
choose senators in this way at the
north, the selection of candidates
would necessarily be in party conven-
tons, and it is not at all certain that
the same influences which have de-
bauched legislatures and often sent
unworthy men to the senate, men who
were the representatives of special
interests or corporations. would not
be Just as powerful in party conven-
tons as they are in the legislatures.
When it is considered that these same
conventions would also nominate can
didates Nor governor, it is readily seen
how dangerous would be a combina-
ton between a candidate for governor
and a candidate for senator, which in
most instances would be irresistible.
After all, however, the publication,
if it comes at all, must be obtained by
the publication OF the electorate No