The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1906-09-21
A GROWING MOVEMENT.


The action Of a large number Of
states during the past year indicates
a steadily growing sentiment that
members Of the United States senate
should be elected by the people direct.
Senators were nominated by primary
vote in eleven southern states this
summer. These states were Alabama,
Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky,
Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina,
Tennessee, Texas and Virginia Al
though the legislatures Of those states
Will formally elect the nominees Of
these primaries to the. Office OF SEN
ator, as prescribed by the constitu-
ton, all OF the men so elected will
owe their seats not to the politicians,
but to the people who instructed the
legislatures at the polls how they
should carry out the viii Of the ma
jOrity. No general assembly would
fail to recognize the expressed will Of
the party to which its members be
Ionged- Political suicide Of this sort
is not often committed.
Although the sentiment for popular
election Of senators appears to be
more deeply grounded in the south
ern states than in other parts Of the
country, this new idea has gathered
weight in the north and west in states
that have been generally considered
fighting territory for both parties. IL
IinOis but recently held its primary
for the election OF a senator, and the
vote was so one-sided in favor Of Sen
atOr CullOm that the most ardent
manipulation would not dare disregard
the verdict Of the people. when the
time comes for the action Of the state
legislature In Iowa the conventions
OF both parties have declared for this
method Of selecting senators. A SINH
lar step has been taken in Wisconsin.
In Nebraska the republican state con-
ventiOn nominated a candidate for
senator and pledged the republicans
in the legislature to vote for him.
In New England, where conserva-
tism always held sway, the people OF
Vermont and New Hampshire have
forgotten the teachings of former
Senator William E. Chandler and the
words Of the late Senator HOar Of
Massachusetts, and are agitating this
proposed reform. When such ideas
begin to take root in New England the
friends of popular elections Of sena-
tors may have hope Of ultimate sue
cess. In Idaho the legislature is bound
by the action OF the state conventions
of the parties, the legislature elect
ing whichever candidate represents
the party capturing the legislative
body. This is hardly looked upon as
popular method, as il opens the
door to machine politics.
In Oregon the popular election Of
senators reaches its most perfect con-
dition and from Oregon have come the
most ardent advocates, in the house
and senate, Of a change in the cOnsti-
tuition that will eliminate elections by
general assemblies. In Oregon the
candidates are voted for in the pri-
maries first, and when the regular
election is held the nominees for Unit
ed States senator are put on the ticket
and voted for. This makes an "elec-
ton by the state legislature the
merest form. A change Of this sort
has been demanded by the republican
convention in Michigan Practically
One-half Of the states in which the
election Of a senator is now an issue,
on account Of the expiration Of terms
Of office, have adopted this reform.
The subject is being agitated in more
or less degree in every state in the
union, and it would seem to be but a
matter Of time when the people will
be permitted to vote direct for their
choice for this high ofice.-St Joseph
/ NeWs-Press