Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1908-08-12

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constitutional amendment had from
| time 10 time been suggested and th'
matter had been more or less dis
cussed IN a few OF the states but th'
movement had not reached pofn'
wbere it manifested itself through
congressional action. In the fifty
second congress. however, resoiu
tion was reported from hous'
committee proposing the necessary
constitutional amendment and thu
llreeoiution passed. the house OF rep
resentatives by a vote which wa'
practically unanimous. In the nifty
third congress a similar resolution
was reported to, and adopted, by the
house OF representatives, Both the
nfty-second and fifty-third con-
crosses we're Democratic. The Re-
publicans gained control OF the house
az a result Of the election of 1Sss
and in the ffty-fourth congress ths
proposition died In committee. As
time went on. however, the senti-
ment grew among the people, until
IL forced a Republican congress to
follow the example set by the Dem
ocrats and then another and another
Republican congress acted favorably.
State after state has endorsed this
reform, until nearly two-thirds OF
the states have recorded themselves
In its favor. The U. s. senate, how
ever, impudently and arrogantly OBJ
structs the passage of the resolution,
notwithstanding the fact that the
voters OF the U. s. by an overwhelnl-
ing majority, demand It. And this
refusal is the more significant when
II is remembered that a number OF
senators owe their election to great
corporate interests.
Three Democratic national plat
forms-the platforms OF 1900,1904
and 1sos-specifically call for n
change In the constitution which
will put the election OF senator's in
the hands OF the voters and the pro-
position has been endorsed by 4
number OF the smaller parties, but
no Republican national convention
has been willing to champion the
cause OF the people on this subject
The subject was ignored by the Re-
publican national convention In 1900
and II was ignored in 1904, and the
proposition was explicit in repudia-
tion in 1908. for the recent Re-
publican national convention. by a
vote OF sec to ia. rejected the
plank endorsing the popular election
OF senators-and this was done In
the convention which nominated Mr..
Taft, few delegates from his own
state voting for the plank.
Personal Inclination Not sun tent.
In his notification speech, the Re-
publican candidate, speaking of the
election OF senators by the people.
says:
Personally. am inclined to favor
1t, but II is hardly a party question. +"
What is necessary to make this a
party question? When the Demo-
cratic convention endorses propo-
sition by a unanimous vote and the
Republican convention rejects the
proposition by vote OF seven 10 one. |
does IL not become an Issue between |
the parties?
Mr.. Taft cannot remove the ques-
lion from the arena OF politics by ex-
pressing a personal inclination to-
ward the Democratic position. For
several years he has been connected
With the administration. What has he
he ever said or done 10 bring this
question before the public? What
enthusiasm has he shown In the re-
ormation OF the senate? What IN
iuenee could he exert In behalf OF A
eform which his party has openly
Ind VIGOROUSLY condemned in its
convention, and to which he is at
aehed only by a belated expression
4 personal inclination?
The Gateway to other Reforms.
Shall the people rule?" Every
adlcal measure of a national char
cteF must run the gauntlet of the
enate' The President may person
lily incline toward reform; the
ouse may consent TO II: but as Iona
the senate obstructs the reform
ne people must walt. The preal-
ent may heed a popular demand;
he house may yield TO public opin-
IN but as long as the senate Is de-
ant the rule OF the people is de-
ea'ed' The Democratic platform