Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1909-08-02
WASHINGTON LETTER AN OPPORYUNE time
TO SUBMIT POPULAR ELECTION OF
UNITED STATES SENATORS.
William }. Bryan Suggests to preSi-
dent Taft That While the States
Are Acting on the Income Tax
Amendment They Night Take Up
Senatorial Matter.

Amendment IheY rlight AXE up
Senatorial Matter.
From Fairview William j. Bryan
addressed the following letter to
President Taft:
"President Taft: Now that the
states are going to vote on the
amendment of the Constitution
specifically authorizing an income tax
why not give them a chance to vote
on an amendment providing for the
election of United States Senator by
popular vote? In your speech of ac-
ceptance you said that you were per-
change in the constitution. Would
this not be an opportune time to pre-
sent the subject to congress? Two
constitutional amendments, one au-
thorizing an income tax, and the 9TH
er providing for the popular election
of senators, would make your admin
istration memorable and pledge you
whatever assistance | can render in
securing the ratification of these
amendments.
with great respect, am,
Yours truly,
civilian j. BRYAN"
The suggestion is an opportune
one. And undoubtedly the presi-
dent will find no valid reason for de-
laying the advocacy of the amend
ment for the election of United States
senators by direct vote; in any event,
the question may more fittingly now
than at any other time be submitted
to the various states for their ap-
proval. Coming from the leading
Democratic figure in the Nation out
side of public office and accompanied
| by assurance of his assistance the
matter is entitled to very serious con-
sideration at the hands of the presi-
dent
the Democratic party and for a cause
to which the Democracy has pledged
| itself. the cause was also champion
ed by Gov Hughes of New York
state in his tour last fall for the Re-
publican National ticket, while the
president himself on several occasions
expressed mis- inclination to favor the
amendment. The principle of pOpu-
lar election of senators has grown
in favor with marked rapidity, and
many of the most progressive Of the
Republican leaders such as La Fol
lette of Wisconsin and Hughes OF
New York, are among it's most earn
est advocates.
A resolution such as Mr.. Bryan
now urges upon the president was
submitted to the house in the Fifty
second Congress. The House was
then Democratic, but the support OF
many Republicans was given to the
resolution and it passed by practically
a unanimous vote. The senate re-
iected the resolution. 1t passed again
in the Fifty-third Congress and was
again rejected by the Senate. The
succeeding Congress saw the Re
publican forces in control of the
House and the question of the pOpu'
Ia ole Of r
pressed for several years. A senti
ment, unmistakable. however. was
prevalent throughout the country an(
among the progressive Republican:
Il tendency to accept the sponsorship
of a direct nomination movement lee
to the introduction and passage by
a Republican House of resolution
calling for constitutional amend
Iment for the direct election of Sena
tors. Several times since then the
resolution has passed the House, bu
it has always died in committee o
tions of 1900, 1904, 1908 contained
IA plank favoring such an amendment
) and through the last Republican Ma
tional Convention rejected a plank o
that character offered by Senator La
Follette's Wisconsin delegation, th
candidate of the conventiOn-Wil
liam II. Taft--in his speech OF ac
: ceptance declared that he was per
sonally inclined to favor the amend
ment.
The question of direct nomination
} is pressing so hard in most of tn
+ states of the Union that this reform
: in the election of United States Sen
ators cannot be much longer delayed