The copper era., 1910-11-25
U. 5. SENATORS B.
 DIRECT VOTE OF PEOPLE
4 Reform that Grows in Public Fa- VOF as the Masses Study if
 From Day to Day.

ators by direct vote of the people is growing in public favor and claims the hearty support of the liberal minded, p-thinking men of the country. And while the constitution makers of Arizona are still in session, the COPPER ERA takes it as an ap- propriate occasion to reproduce the following timely article from the pen of Hon. William J. Bryan upon this popular reform:
 Tn the democratic national con- vention at Denver the election of U. $. senators by direct vote of the peo- pie was declared to be the gateway to other reforms, and it is an apt de- scription of it's stragetic importance. h revolutionary days the early set tiers fortified such points as Fort Pitt, where Pittsburg now stands, be- cause they guarded important routes of travel. The predatory interests recognize that the United States sem ate occupies a stragetic point in legislation. Every remedial measure of q national character must travel through the senate before it can be- come the law; just so long as the sen ate opposes a bill it can be defeated and the senate has had the audacity to oppose great many good meas ures.
 For one hundred and three years the present method of electing sen ators was tolerated, although Criti- cism increased and the demand tor more popular method of election grew louder and louder. Andrew Johnson, in one of his messages, re- commended a Constitutional amend ment providing for election of sena- tors by popular vote, but his recon mendation met with no response. Some ten years later General Weaver, then a member of congress from Iowa, introduced a resolution pro- posing the necessary amendment; Brice refers to this resolution i'll his American Commonwealth.' But still nothing was done. h 1892 a demo- cratic congress passed a resolution submitting d constitutional amend ment providing for direct election of senators, and the next congress, also democratic, did likewise. Then two republican congresses met and at journed without action; but the senti- ment continued to grow, and in 1900 ,l,l fal he example of the democratic congresses and declared in favor of this reform. Two republican congresses. since that time have acted favorably on the resolution, but the senate has con- tInued to defy the popular will and to obstruct the passage of the resOlu- ton. Some twO-thirds of the states Of the union have endorsed the prop osition, and three democratic national conyentions have declared for it, while populist conventions have de- clared for it even more frequently.
 "In the last republican national convention the proposition was de- feated by a vote of more than seven to one, but Mir. Taft. during his cam paign, repudiated the action of his convention and declared that he was personally inclined to favor the pop ular method of election. This, briefly, is the record up to to- day, but a new page is about to be written. The elections held on November s resulted in the gain of several democratic senators, and in the substitution of several progressive republicans for republi- cans of the standpat variety. There progressives will have a safe major ity in the senate. Now is the time to press for the securing of this great and fundamental reform, and the Commoner appeals to its readers to take up this subject and exert them selves to the utmost to secure the submission of a constitutional amend ment providing for the election of United States senators by direct vote of the people.
 HOW can lC DC done! FlrSt: Let every legislature that meets this win ter be urged to pass a resolution de- claring in favor of the popular cleo tiOn ot senators; let every senator elected this year be pledged to this reform by the legislature which elects him. Let every senator who favors this reform make it his business to see that the necessary resolution is brought before the senate. With d majority of the senators in favor of the reform the opponents of the measure can be put upon record, and those whose terms expire two years from now will hesitate before they put themselves upon the wrong side of the issue. Senator DePew led the fight against the direct election of senators when it Was last before the senate-but he will not be in posi- tion to fight it again. Senator Hale was opposed to it, but he, too, Is go- ing out. Senator Aldrich was op- posed to it-his days are numbered. Let the friends of this reform take