Arizona republican., 1908-08-13

ported from a house committee pre- iposing the necessary constitutional lamendment, and this resolution passed lthe house of representatives by a vote which was practically unanimous. IT lthe Fifty-third congress a similar reso- Hutton was reported to, and adopted by the house of representatives. Both the Fifty second and Fifty third congress ses were democratic. The republicans gained control of the house as a result lof the election of 1894 and in the Fifty fourth congress the proposition died in committed As time went on, how ever. the sentiment grew among the people until it forced a republican con- gress to follow the example set by the democrats, and then another and another republican congress acted fla vorably. State after state has endors- ed this reform. until nearly two-thirds of the states have recorded themselves | in its favor. | The United States senate continues to however, impudently and arrogantly obstruct the passage of the resolution, notwithstanding the fact that the vot- CTS of the United States, by an over Iwhelming majority, demand it. And this refusal is the more significant when it is remembered that a number of senators owe their election to great corporate interests. Three democratic national platforms-the platforms of 1900. 1904 and 190S-specifically call i for a change in the constitution which | will put the election of senators in the hands of the voters, and the proposi- 7 tion has been endorsed by 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 republican national convention in 1900; it was ignored in 1904, and the proposition was explicitly repudiat- 1 ed in 1908, for the recent republican national convention, by vote of S66 to 114, rejected the plank endorsing the popular election of senators-and this was done in the convention which nominated MT. Taft, few delegaes from his own state voting for the plank. In his notification speech, the repub- lican candidate, speaking of the cleo ton of senators by the people. says: Personally, I am inclined to favor it. but it is hardly a party question" What is necessary to make this a party question? When the democratic con vention endorses a proposition by a unanimous vote and the republican convention rejects the proposition by a vote of seven to one, does it not be- come an issue between the parties? MT. Taft can not remove the question from the arena of politics by express ing a personal inclination toward the democratic position. For several years he has been connected with the admin istration. What has he ever said or done to bring this question before the public? What enthusiasm has he shown in the reformation of the sen ate? What influence could he exert in behalf of a reform which his party has openly and notoriously condemned in it's convention, and to which he is attached only by a belated expression of personal inclination?
 OTHER REFORMS.
 Shall the people rule?" Every rem edial measure of a national character must run the gauntlet of the senate The president may personally incline toward a reform; the house may con- sent to it; but as long as the senate obstructs the reform. the people must wait. The president may heed a pop ular demand; the house may yield to public opinion, but as long as the sen ate is defiant. the rule of the people is defeated. The democratic platform very properly describes the popular election of senators as the gateway
 
 open the gate. or shall we allow the exploiting interests to bar the way by the control of this branch of the fed eral legislature? Through a demo- cratic victory, and through a demo- cratic victory only. can the people se- cure the popular election of senators. The smaller parties are unable to se- cure this reform; the republican party, under its present leadership, is reso- lutely opposed to it; the democratic party stands for it and has boldly de- manded it. If I am elected to the presidency, those who are elected upon the ticket with me will be, like myself, pledged to this reform, and I shall convene congress in extraordin- ary session immediately after inaug- uidllpils anu eiSAs dlilpllS blltI lliluSSs for the fulfillment of this platform pledge.
 THE SPEAKER'S POWER.
 The third instrumentality employed to defeat the will of the people is found in the rules of the house of represen- tativcs. Our platform points out that the house of representatives was de- signed by the fathers of the cOnstitu- tion to be the popular branch of our government, responsive to the public will" and adds:
 The house of representatives, as controlled in recent years by the re- publican party. has ceased to be a de Lucrative and legislative body, -respon- sive to the will of a majority of the members, but has come under the ab- solute domination of the speaker, who has entire control of its deliberations, and powers of legislation.
 We have observed with amazement the popular branch of our federal gov ernment helpless to obtain either the consideration or enactment of meas ures desired by a majority of it's mem bers"
 This arraignment is fully justified The reform republicans in the house of representatives, when in the minori- ty in their own party, are as helpless to obtain a hearing or to secure a vote upon measure as are the dem