Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-08-09
ELECTION OF SENATORS.

terstate conference will be held In
Iowa to devise means to secure an
adoption Of an amendment to the con-
stitution providing for the election of
United States senators by the people
Instead of by the legislatures, the ques-
ton becomes a more serious one. The
advice may well be given to go slowly
The end may not DE in sight even
though the conference has been called
and numerous delegates will be pres
ent, but it Is getting into a more bust
nesslike form, and action now will
undoubtedly mean more than it ever
has before
In the past the legislatures and var
ious bodies have passed resolutions
favoring election of senators by the
people, but 1t Is undoubtedly true that
1t was much easier to get such resolu-
tions through without opposition than
IL that body really held the RESPONSE
bility for such action in the end Peo-
pie are not inclined to stir up row
over a matter that has no indication of
reaching the proposed end. For this
reason it is reasonable to presume
that there are many more such resolu-
lions on record than there would have
been if the question was really at an is
sue and the body having it under con-
sideration was the one to assume the
responsibility. Irresponsible bodies,
like irresponsible persons, say many
thinks that they would not say if the
burden was upon their shoulders.
It should also be remembered that
this is not new question. 1t was
threshed out hundred and twenty
years ago just as thoroughly as 1t is
about to be now, If not more SO. 1t is
doubtful If any new arguments will be
advanced In it's favor. In consideration
Of this fact the movement should be
slow until 1t Is shown that there is
some reason for such change In the
constitution SO wisely framed, and
which has proven itself so adequate in
times Of storm. Often things are
blamed on the System" when the
trouble is with the men. The socialist
is made as rule from the man who
has not been as successful as his neigh
bor He does not find any fault In
himself, but blames all to the present
economic system. The man who as
pires to be senator an lis defeated IS
reluctant to believe that he was not
the real choice of the people, and says
it YVES the system that was at fault.
Richard Yates thought that by a pri-
mary law by which the will of the in
dividual republicans could be register
ed he could defeat Shelby M. Cullom,
because he is something of dramatic
speaker and a hand campaigner, while
Senator Cullom announced his inten-
ton of not going on a speaking cam
paign, but Of leaving the matter to the
people. Senator Cullom's victory over
Richard Yates was announced yester-
day. But the more men there are
whose aspirations are defeated in the
legislatures, the more men there are
who are converted to the proposition
of election Of United States senators
by the people.
The question naturally arises at this
time, What Is the weakness in the
present system? Some will say that
the senate as now constituted does not
respond quickly enough to the de-
mands Of the people, and the recent
railway legislation will be cited. But
did not the pure food law have about
as hard time in the house, the popu-
lar branch? 1t may thus be seen that
at least some of the defects found in
the senate are not unknown in the
house.
Who are the senators who are
charged with being the chief conspir-
ators against the interests of the peo-
pie? Are they from Iowa, Nebraska,
Minnesota, Kansas or any of the states
of the plains? They are mainly from
the thickly settled eastern states. Is
there anything to be gained then, II
experience is taken as a lesson, and
Madison as an authority when in dis
cussing the senate he says: st may
be suggested that people spread over
an extensive region cannot, like the
crowded inhabitants Of small district,
/ be subject to the infection of violent
passions; or to the danger of combin-
Ing in unjust measures. am far from