The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1906-09-08
DIRECT VOTE
FOR SENATORS
Many States Turn Toward
This System
GROWS in FAVOR.
IN Many Parts Of the country-- Nov
Adopted by Eleven Southern
Primary Nominations
Evade Constitution.


Washington, Sept. 81 The action Of
large number of States during the past
year iii selecting their candidates for the
United States Senate by popular vote Of
tho members Of the party expressed in
4 primary election indicates the steadily
growing sentiment that members of the
Upper branch of the Federal Legislature
Should be elected by the people direct
instead of being chosen BY the Stale gen
cral assemblies, as now provided by the
Constitution. Election Of senators by
the people has been agitated from time
10 time for years. lit was urged by
some members Of the Federal Conyen-
ton Of 1857, but the majority of the
fiamers Oh the Constitution believed the
plan unwise and refused To concur III the
suggestion Of direct vote, as provided
in the case of representatives. Inas
rnch as popular election cannot be
brought about save BIZ d change ia the
Constitution. some ot the States have
adopted the subterfuge Of nominating by
primaries, thereby imposing upon the
Legislature the moral, although not e
gal, responsibility of acting in accord
ance with the primary vote. II this
plan continues to grow as il has recent
ii, within the next few years the ma
iority OF senators will owe their seats
not to the action OF the Legislature on
it's own initiative, but to the majority
given him At The party primary Or the
regular State election.
United States senators we're nomi-
mated By primary vote in eleven South
ern States this summer These States
We're Alabama, Arkansas, Florida,
Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana. Mississip.
lpi, South Carolina. Tennessee, Texas,
and Virginia. Although The Legislatures
Of these States win formally elect THE
nominees Of these primaries 70 the office
Of senator, as prescribed BIZ the Consti
tuition. every one OF the men 10 elected
will owe THEN seats not 70 the politi.
clans, but 70 the people who instructed
the Legislature at the polls how they
should carry ont the will Of thenaiority
I No general assembly would fail to rec
ognize the expressed will 81 the party
to which It's members belonged Political
suicide Of this sort is not often com
mitted.
Although the sentiment for popular
election Of senators appears 90 BE more
deeply grounded in the southern States
than 10 other parts oil the country, this
rev idea has gathered weight in the
North and West in States that haze
been generally considered fighting ter
Ti,ory for both parties Illinois but rel
Gently held its primary for the election
OF senator. and the vote was 50 one-
sided in favor OF Senator 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 con-
yentions Of both parties have declared
for this method Of selecting senators. A
simiiar step has been taken III Niscon
sin.
In New England, where conservatism
always held sway, the people Of Yer
mont and New Hampshire have forgot
Ten the teachings Of former Senator viii
lam +. Chandler and the words Of the
Hate Senator Hoar Of Massachusetts and
IRE agitating this proposed reform,
When such ideas begin to take root in
! New England the friends OF popular cleo
! tions of senators may have hope of ultf.
mate success In Idaho the Legislature
Is bound by the action of the State con
mentions OF the parties, the Legislature
electing whichever candidate represents
the party capturing the legislative body.
This is hardly looked upon as popular
method, as it opens the door to machine
politics
IA Oregon the popular election OF sen.
ators reaches its most perfect condition,
and from Oregon have come the most
ardent advocates, in the House and Sen.
ate, of change in the Constitution that
will eliminate elections by the general
assemblies In Oregon the candidates
arc voted for in the party primaries
hfst, and when the regular election il
I neld the nominees for United States SEN
ators are put on the ticket and voted for
I his makes in election BY the State
! Legislature the merest form. 4 change
Of this sort has been demanded by the
4 Republican convention in Michigan.
ractieally one-half the States in which
/ The election Of senator is now an is-
sue, on account Of the expiration Of
terms OF Office. have adopted this re-
form. The subject is being agitated IN
more or less degree in every State in the
union. and it would seem 70 be but a
mater OF time when the people will be
permitted 10 vote direct for their choice
Tor this high Office.