Omaha daily bee., 1906-04-02
NORRIS DEFENDS HIS BILL
Fifth District Congressman Discusses Meas
'ure for Popular Election Of Senators,
CAMPAIGNS ARE NOW TOO FREQUENT
Provision Extending the Terms Of
Representatives to Four Years
VIII Make Bill Popular
I'm the senate.
CFrom a SIAN Corresnondent.l

From Staff Correspondent
WASHINGTON ID. c., April 1.-(Special.) |
Judge George Norris. who represents the
Fifth Nebraska district in congress. has
broken into the inner circles of house Iegs-
lation. He has accomplished this by "A
steadfast desire to be right and his straight
forwardness and his ability have given MIN
prestige in a body which, although MADE
up of SS6 members, together with the dele
gates from the territories. is controlled by
few individuals.
Recently Judge Norris had the honor paid
him of having his bill providing for the
election of senators by the people and the
extension Of the term of representatives
from two TO four years, made the basis
for committee bill, which has been re-
ported favorably from the committee on
election of president, vice president and
members of congress and is now on the
house calendar.
Norris Defends His BiIl.
In discussing an editorial recently pub
lished in The Bee, taking exception to Judge
Norris bill because of the extended term
given to representatives in congress, ne
made the following statement:
Yes, 1 have read the recent editorial in
The Daily Bee in regard to my proposition
now before congress to amend the constitu-
ton DN DrONlOlnR tOI the eieCIiOn Oh Selld-
tors by the people and for the election of
members of the house. of representatives
for term Of four years IL my judgement NJ
provision lengthening tile term of Office of
members of the house will lessen the
chances in the senate of passage of the
provision to elect senators by the direct
vote of the people, is not well founded. IL
| is quite evident to me that the. effect VIII
eral times passed resolutions providing for
an amendment of the constitution In the
matter of the election of senators by the
| vote of the people, and In every instance
/ the provision has failed to pass the senate
| by the constitutional majority.
There are senators VINO think that any
| proposition to amend the constitution al
/ fecting the senate ought to originate IN the
senate and not in the house ana tnefe
| against any such proposition that comes
| from the house. For years there has oeen
| fecting only one branch of congress should
| originate in such branch. Ana there nus
| also been an understanding that any prOpo-
sition so originating would receive favor
| able consideration in the other branch,
| Under this understanding, a proposition 70
| OF office of members of the house, having
originated in the house and passed by the
house would be looked upon with more
| favor in the senate. On this account, II
| was deemed best to couple the two propo,,
/ sitions with the idea that proposeu
| would doubtless be looked upon with
| greater favor in the senate. Then again, an
| attemDt has several times Deen hldue, DC
have said, to pass the proposition relating
| to the election of senators, and III eacn
instance such proposition mas mel VIII
| failure What proof have we that the sen,
| ate has experienced change OF heart ana
that such proposition standing alone, woulo
| receive favorable consideration in the SEN
ATE? The most important part of my propo-
sition Is the part relating to the eleStoh
OF senator's by the people, ana whne l ne ue
lieve that more good would result 10 the
country from the adoption OF that poIIoh
than the part relating 70 the Term OF UI ,nst
heartily i'm favor of the latter proposition
Under the present law members OF me
house are elected in November, ana un nifsS
there is a special session OF conkIen1s S Tt
by the president they do not actually oegln
their official duties until year from she
following December. Their term OF once once
is thus practically half gone before they
commence the active duties pertaining 70
their once. Before they are talf r sIscted
they are plunged into another campaign -
a campaign for denomination, II theE w, an
verified from their work-the work in which
they should be engaged, and much OF thelr
time is devoted TO curing niY nnfsi,
10 the congressman, but Is likewise UNFAIR
10 the people he represents.
TOO Many Elections.
In my Judgment we have too many cleo
tons We scarcely get out OF one cam
paign before another begins. We all know
that campaigns a. least so iaF as , 6neS
questions always have a depressing m
! duence on business and the prosperity OF
the country generally, People contemplat-
ing an enlargement OF their business OF
the Investment OF money in new enter
, | prises always hesitate II a national cleo
| tion is apprOa ching until the result Is
( known There Is always Tightening along
/ financial lines and necessarily along All
lines of business just PRIOR 10 national
II is unfair 10 the members Of the house
/ that they should be put to the expense OF
being continually In campaign. Besides
] taking their time and attention from their
official duties the expense connected with
| a campaign make an inroad upon his sal
arv until II has become common knowledge
! ! that only the wealthy can afford to retain
/ a seat In our national legislature. think
p n would be an improvement II We elected
all OF our state and county ofhcers for a
! term Of four years.
Eject of Frequent Campaigns.
II Is not only the oficeholders who should
( he relieved from HAese frequent campaigns,
I hut the people themselves are tired Of this
continual political quarrel and strife. IN
| my Judgment this has tendency 10 cause
'rhcy become tired of this political strife
| and are apt to become dissatisfied and
J | pay no attention TO the primaries and con-
ventions-the foundation OF our system
, | Under our present system OF holding an
| election every year or every two years the
! CRATER" who lives and thriVes on political
strife would 10 a great extent lose his oc-
/ cupation III our elections were only held
. | every four yeaTs-thefe would be just half
as many political controversies and just
half as many opportunities for him to ply
In our counties in Nebraska We elect a
clerk of the court for four years and 2
) county clerk for two years. Has theTV
ever been any dissatisfaction from any
AssGzaa sr any injury resnltiaG - L. l-As-