The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1908-12-08
Choossng or senAtors.

The Fairnont West Vtrginian ia
vors the enactment of primary cleo
ton law that will include the selec-
ton of United States senators. There
could ,be no serious objection to that
provided 1t would be arranged so
that it would not result in the same
manner as one of the western states
where the people chose a representa-
tive of one party tor the Office and
then turned in and elected les1s1a-
ture with majority of the opposite
party in control Of both branches
Charleston Mail.
Let not the fact be overlooked,
however, that there are several
weighty objections against such a
radical change in our Institutions, or
q change ut least that has such a
tendency In the matter of selecting
our United States senators. Be
cause one William j. Bryan gave the
idea considerable exploitation, after
stealing it from the Populists, and
because it may sound nice alongside
OF certain undertaking denuncia-.
tionS of predatory wealth" let not
the proposition drift on without due
consideration Of its dement's as we'll
as its merits.
Those opposed to the popular cleo
ton OF senators point out that the
object OF the trainers of the Consti
tuition in establishing two separate
national Legislative houses was tot
prevent the encroachment uponS con-
stitntional rights by single lesis-
lative assembly, to provide legis-
lative check upon hasty. reckless re-
spoyse to temporary gusts OF popular
passion on the part of a Democratic
house. and likewise a check upon
executive encroachment: to increase
the security of the people by requir-
ing the concurrence of two distinc:
bodies. and to give sufficient per-
manency TO one boGy as to provide
for measures requiring continued at-I
tentfon. The tendency, expressed in
the direct election OF senators, is de-
structive of these ends, 1t is argued,
Indirect nominations provide for a
more select method of choosing the
senator's and prevents~the placing of
such nominations further in control
OF political parties and political
bosses.
An illustration of this was furnish
ed by. the Democrats of Alabama a
year or so ago. The Democratic statcI
executive committee ordered a pri-I
mary election for the nomination OFF
two senators and tsTo aIternates. the |
latter being called in. political par-I
lance senatorial pail bearers" who
were TO fill any senatorial VacancyI
TINT Nigh occur The candidate 70"
governor was required to sign a
pledge to appoint these alternates, in
cases of vacancy. If he would not
sign the pledge, his name would bel
left of the ballots. Thus was the
chief executive of State coerced |
and bulldozed by political party
bosses into giving up one of the most
Important functions vested in him
by the federal constitution. The
successful candidates for senatorsi
were elected by the vote Of a major
ity of the counties, which gives a
possibility of their nomination by = |
minority OF the people.
But" some say. where 1t may
he possible for a candidate for SEN
ator to buy his election from a leg
stature, 1t would be more difiicultI
for him to buy 1T from the whole
people.'' Opponents of the popular
election of senator's reply that 1t |
would. likely, be a matter of>much
more difficulty to purchase a repre-
sentative body OF men than to acquire
control of few political bosses. In
direct election OF the senators places
representatives OF the people be-
tween the candidates and the polit-
zeal bosses.
1t is also said that direct nomi-
nations would also give the larger
cities and the more densely populat-
ed communities undue preponder-