Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-12-08
ELEcTING SENATORS


ELEcTING SENATORS
New York Tribune:-A convention
to be held in Des Moines next (this)
week is likely to cause renewed inter
est in the question of the popular
election of United States senators.
On joint resolution passed by the
Iowa legislature last winter Governor
Cummins invited the governors Of
the various states to send delegates to
Des Moinesto discuss the direct cleo
ton of senators and devise means to
further it. The object of the conven-
ton is described officially as follows:
"An effort to effect the crystalliza-
tion of public sentiment; to afford an
opportunity for consultation; Ito devise
plans for cooperation between the
states, and, if deemed advisable, take
steps to secure a permanent organiza-
tion for the promotion of a movement
looking to the election of United
States senators by direct vote of the
people,"
The governors of thirty states have
responded. If there should be any ap-
proach to unanimity among the dele
gates, If a permanent organization
should be effected to promote the di-
rect election of senators, If the dele
gates should go home to their various
states and urge an application to con-
gress for constitutional convention,
some important results might follow
the convention.
The delegates are likely to be con-
fronted by two plans for bringing
about direct elections-one by an
amendment to the constitution the
other, without amendment, by having
the senators chosen by the people at
the state elections and the choice sub
sequently ratified by the legislatures.
For the amendment of the constitu-
ton it is provided that on an applica-
ton of two-thirds of the states con-
stitutional convention shall be called
by congress. Thus, if all of the thirty
states which have sent delegates to
this Des Moines convention should,
through their legislatures, request
congress to call constitutional con-
vention, one must be called. To ratf-
fy any amendment drawn up by such
convention three-fourths of the states
must vote in favor of it. Since 1901
seven states Michigan, Minnesota,
Nevada, Nebraska, Oregon, Iowa and
Montana-have through their legis-
latures sent resolutions to congress
asking for a convention. In the last
twenty years seventeen other states
have made similar requests TO con-
gress.
1t may be doubted, however, wheth-
err the Des Moines convention will, If
| to tr1y to n ca n
bringing about joint request of two.
thirds of the states for an amendment
The constitution is VIGOROUSLY hard
to amend, and state legislatures are
likely to prove Indifferent to a pro-
posal to strip them of one of their
powers. The popular election of sen
ators has, moreover, only an academic
| interest in many of the states. One
third of them have already that sys
tenn in effect and will not feel con
cerned about constitutional amend
ment. Nebraska, Alabama, Illinois
Michigan, Oregon, Virginia, South Car
DINA, Louisiana, North Carolina, Ten
nessee, Wisconsin, Arkansas, Wash
ington, South Dakota and Minnesota
already select their senators by popu
lar vote. either at general primaries
or at state elections, and the constitu
| tional function of their legislatures Is
in practice restricted merely to giving
effect to the popular choice. THAI
system follows the line of least resist
ance, amending the meaning rather
than the words of the constitution. L
also leaves the change to the popular
election Of senators optional with the
states, instead of making it compul
sorry. If states do not have the direc
vote it is because public opinion is no
strong enough to demand 1T.
There are reasons for thinking thai
there is no great demand for change
The average citizen will assent in al
Indifferent way to the statement tina
the legislative election of senators i.
not satisfactory, and there his interes
ends. The change to a popular cleo
ton is simple, without the necessit!
of an elaborate constitutional conven
ton, yet the growth of the movemen
among the states has been compari
lively slow. In 1875 Nebraska started
lit with provision in it's constitution
authorizing the voters to express
their preference for senate candidates