Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-05-27
ALLISON AGAINST
VOTE Of PEOPLE
Senator on Record as Opposed
to Election Of Senators By
Popular Vote
RECORD SHOWN UP
Gave Direct Slap at Legislature Of His
Own state-DoIliver Paired as op-
posed to Resolution = Allison Lines
Up With AIdrich, Halo and Other
Representatives. Of Interests.
Special to Times Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines, May Ex-senator Will
liam B. Allison is against the election
of United States senators by popular
vote of the people and so voted in the
senate last Saturday on the resolution
submitted by Senator Owen. Of Okla
homa, to submit an amendment of the
constitution to the people. His vote
against popular election of United
States senators is recorded along with
those of Aldrich, Burrows, Hale, Cul-
lom, Depew, Penrose and others.
The resolution to submit an amend
ment Of the constitution to the legis-
latures of the various states of the un-
ion was senate joint resolution No. 81,
and there is recorded on page 7113 OF
the Congressional Record for May 23,
1908, the resolution and the discussion
that took place concerning it. There
was not direct vote on the adoption
of the resolution. The vote was on a
motion to bury the modest little reso-
luton deep down in the pigeon hole Of
the desk in the rooms Of the commit
tee or privileges and elections, of
which Julius c. Burrows of Michigan,
a close friend and supporter of Sena-
tor Allison, is chairman.
Senator Dolliver, of Iowa, had left
Washington at that time to take part
IN he ra,Y on, iv,
Senator Cullom, of Illinois, transferred
his general pair to Senator Dolliver.
Senator Cullom happening to be pres
ent and Cullom voted to bury the res
olution. Senator Dolliver was there
fore, paired as opposed to the resolu-
tion and in favor of burying it.
The resolution was called up by
Senator Owen of Oklahoma, the two
senators from that state being in
structed by the legislature which elect
ed them to make an effort to get the
resolution thru the senate. The resolu-
ton was very simple and merely pro-
vides that United States senator's shall
be elected by vote Of the people just
as governors and congressman are
elected with two senators from each
state as at present.
Senator Owen in a very short ad
dress enumerated few of the reasons
for making the change, one of them
being that 1t will compel candidates
for the senate to be subjected to the
severe scrutiny of a campaign before
the people and compel the selection Of
the best fitted men," He told that there
were twenty-seven state legislatures
that have passed the resolution de-
submission of the question,
them Iowa, and of these. twenty
are represented in the senate by re-
publican senators. He pleaded with the
senators from each of these states to
assist him in passing the resolution
other things, he said: 81 call the at
tention of the senator's from Iowa to
the fact that on March IL, 1907, the
legislature of that great state expressed
the will of the people of Iowa, and
appeal to the Senators from Iowa to
cooperate with me in making effective
the wishes of the people Of Iowa"
When he had about concluded his
remarks Senator Hale, of Maine. who
is with Senator Aldrich, of Rhode Is
land, considered close friend Of Sen
ator Allison, asked him: What is the
trouble with all the senators from these
states which have passed
these resolutions whose senators have
been here much longer than the sena-
tor from Oklahoma?"
Senator Owen told him that the ex-
tent Of their delinquency was what he
was trying to find out then and that a
vote would determine better than any
thing else. Senator Hale pressed his
question with some vigor and Senator
Owen finally answered by saying:
POSSIBLY the reason, Mr.. President, is
because it would require a very ex-
effort to get any action by
the senate, and am making an extra
ordinary verbal effort now"
Senator Depew had an amendment to
offer Senator Owen begged them not
to offer amendments but to allow a
vote. He then pointed out that
there were many ways by which the
resolution could be defeated, one of
them to amend it to make the num-
Der of senators depend on the popula-
ton of the states and he surmised that
THIS was Ile dIHenQIHeHl tHe SeudtOT
from New York was about to offer.
Senator Depew denied that was his
Later it developed that
Penrose of Pennsylvania had this
and Depew had another.
Finally Senator Hale of Maine.
moved that the resolution be referred
to the committee on privileges and
elections. This motion carried, there
being SO votes for and 90 against and
80 senator's did not vote or We're paired.
Senator LaFollette, of Wisconsin,; SEN
ator McCreary. of Minnesota: Senator
Beveridge, of Indiana; Senator Clapp,
Of Minnesota: Senator Owens, of Ok
lahoma; Senator Stephenson. of Wis
consin, and some others voted against
killing. the resolution but their num-
bers were too few.
The action of Senator Allison in .vot-
Ing with the majority to kill the reso-