The Somerset reporter., 1908-01-30
The Election of Senator by Popu-
lar Vote.

eStaDllSneu an OFFICIAL organ, week
ly, published at Philadelphia, with n.
j. Bachelor, Master of the national
order, as editor III chief. In recent
issue, January S, the leading editorial
is under the heading given above.
The grange has repeatedly endorsed
the movement for direct election of
senators and it has received added
impetus of late from the action of the
Iowa legislature and of Governor
Cummins of that state, who have
joined in a call to other states to
move through the vote of their legis
latures on the question. The direct
choice of senators is already accom-
plished, to all intents and purposes,
in Oregon, Mississippi and Oklahoma
through method Of direct nomina-
tion, the Legislatures simply obeying
the will of the voters as express by
their vote at the primary elections.
The system of direct primaries, called
for by plank in the last republican
platform at Bangor and advocated
strenuously by Hon. Herbert NJ.
Heath and others before the last leg
islature, would accomplish this re
suit for Maine, or any other state,
without waiting for the action of
congress in the matter. The topic is
r timely one and we reproduce the
editorial from the National Grange,
believing that what the official organ
of the great and powerful organiza-
tion of the agricultural classes has to
say upon it will be of interest to our
readers.
The election of the United States
Senators by popular vote has been
championed by the Grange for many
years with constantly increasing in
tereet in the proposition and addition
al reasons for taking this position.
For evidence of the former we have
only to refer TO the State Legislatures
that have favored it, to the press that
advocates it, to the influential men
who support it and to the action OF
the lower branch of Congress, almost
Unanimous for it. For evidence Ct
the latter condition we have only to
refer to the record made by several
Senators who would never have been
selected by the people for such posi-
tions and to the action of certain
other Senators upon matters in which
the people were Vitaly concerned
Corporation selected Senators will
generally vote for corporation inter
eSts, regardless of the interests of the
people.
The reasons for favoring the cleo
ton of Senators by popular vote are
numerous and partially expressed in
what we have already said. When
our Constitution was adopted there
were no such combinations Of capital
as exist today, and the selection of
members of the United States Senate
was made by the people through their
State Legislatures. 1t was an ideal
provision and enabled the members
of the Senate to be chosen on account
of their fitness for the position. Since
then great combinations of wealth,
representing transportation, manu-
featuring and mercantile interests,
have been formed, and through the
influence of these. either combined or
separate, the choice of Senators i'll
many States has been made by the
representatives of capital rather than
the repre- atiVes of the people.
The farm ers of the country, repre-
settling the greatest industry i'll the
country when measured by the mum
Der of people engaged or the amount
of capital invested, have practically
had nothing to say about the selee-
tion of Senators. Although agricul-
ture is the most extensive, az well as
the most important, industry in the
country, upon The prosperity of which
prosperity in all other Industries de-
pends, there is not person in the
United States Senate at the present
time whose chief interest is in agri-
culture from personal standpoint.
If we can have the election OF Sena-
tors made by the people as it was in
tended to be when the Constitution
was adopted, through Legislatures
elected by the people, there would
not be the present urgent demand for
change in the form of their election.
Under existing conditions this is i'm
possible, and the only way to secure
a representation of the people in their
highest Jaw making body is to have
the members of that body elected by
direct vote of the people.
Other reasons for this position are
found in the fact that a State Legis-
lature chosen primarily for dealing
with State affairs will be more com
petent to do this if chosen with this
object in view, rather than have the
members of the dominant party chos
en- for the purpose OF electing or de-
feating some candidate for the United
State Senate at the dictation of COM
binations of wealth. When this mat
ter is delegated to the people, As ii
should be and as it must be in order
to carry out the original intention OF
the trainers OF the Constitution, the
members of State Legislatures will be
chosen with greater regard for their
fitness to legislate in the interest OF
the people OF the State and less re-
gard 10 the candidacy Of persons for
election to the Senate.
The iscussion OF this subject by
Oranges of the country in previous
wears has had much to do IN promot
ing public sentiment in favor of it,
and continuation of this discussion
is of the utmost importance. Con
slant agitation always helps along a
good proposition and helps to defeat
bad proposition. The more a move
ment having merit is discussed the
stronger it becomes in the minds OF
the people and the more movement
without merit is discussed the weaker
it becomes. The Grange has been u
pioneer in many worthy unde rtakings,
has been influential in leading some