The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-12-29
q Love LOON tHEtp.
10 'h~ Present Pspular Teudsnr, Ts~ asd
the Abostst0n &c the senate?

directly by the people once adopted a. a
system throughout N. country may not
end popular agitation concerning tho see
ond chamber OF the American tongr.--
certain very conservative newspapers
which are opposed To the popular election
Of senators are suggesting that II the
method OF election IL to he changed much
n;ore radical alterations should follow.
The Richmond Times TJispdich declares
that N" Senate itself should be- abolish"s!
and a single chamber h. depended upon
! for legislation. TVS SuN proposes that
Senators be apportion.d among the states
according 10 their population In order that
the present inequality Of representation
| may he rrmriied Neither suggestion
seems to he made very seriously. except in
so FAR ~ a hope ~ entertained that "A back
fire may bs started against the movement
for the election ~ Senators directly by the
peopl. Yet Ina these attacks upon "A popu
lar agitation for more democratic control
Of our powerful second chamber one may
find perhaps the beginning OF formidable
| movement In the future 10 make over the
Senate on "A basis more truly democratic.
! u must he admitted that ia. senate would
not become body established IN accord
ancs with democratic principles simply he
cause the State Legislatures had been de
priv-d Of their constitutional right 20 choos.
the members thereof body that has Two
senators from each state. no more and no
less. and thus disresarts the distribution
| of the country'S population. IL not 81 far
IA the British House Of Lords from being u
democratic chamber but N would he d,ficult
tn make the inequality in representation
| more pronounced than II H. in the second
\ chamber a. Washington. The statistical
facts are thoroughly familiar and need not
he presented with any elaboration. sine.
every one knows that States like Rhode
| island, Delaware. Idaho and Nevada ever
else political power in the Senate a. great
as that exercised 10y such States ~ New
| York, Pennsylvania. OHIO and Massschu-
.etts Tn. time might come when IL would
he easy for the people IN the more thickly
| populated States or sections to beli-v"
| that they had a grievance IN this condition
Of affairs.
We can think of three influences that in I
| The future might create a popular ssnti- /
! ment in the larger States against the present
constitutional structure of the nIt~d
States senate one IL the gradual weak
eninE Of the Federal idea a. contrasted
with the national idea Much IN reality {
depends upon Nh-'her the United states !
are or whether the United states is
| II the republic should b.Com" more and /
| more cent? allied. ( tho Washington Govern !
ment should absorb more and more he
! functions hitherto belonging Ia the separate F.,
States. there would develop AN even Stronger
tendency than one sees to-day to forget the /
Federal principle upon which the United
states Government Was originally founded.
and whIch i-smo-t conspicuous perhaps in .
the equal representation Of the States IN the
upper house Of Congress
~ecoi.d Influence i m Increasing rather /
than u Diminishing in@Iualitv in the distri :
hutton Of he population Of the country
II has already been pointed nu' ny 'h-
Dire tor OF the census Of i9io thai IN" growth
-: population in these Eastern States
during the last decade has been relatively f,
much greater than ~ large sections ~ the
West and South The inequality IN repre- /.
>enIation IN the senate = to-day much more
fragrant than /; was IN ;>gi or 'rD" Con
slider New Norr and Iowa. ia" on" having
gained several millions of inhabitants since
tn" last census. IN" other having actually ,
lost inhabitants. or compare the East a. a (
whole with the wrs' - who'll" IL ~ not
evident that n" Fast al p-escn, = gaining
population N. faster and - consequently b
NOR" and NOR" sacrificed IN ~" c"nsiitu- .
tIonal distribution 1T politi'aI power m She
nI,ed states senate
third influence one may refer Ia much ,
loss confidently. perhaps and tina, j. the |,
possible waning 81 the pr--' 70 Of the second /
chamber principle II - by means
settled that A. democracy adv anc-- u will .
tolerate second chambers IN any Legislative" /
bodies whatever ". know from expert /
ence that they ar" nov universally con I
d"rIned IN IN" government Of municipal. 7
itira a. both s'Ip"r''uou- and Injurious to /
good government In The latest develop /
p"nt 81 the commission idea In city govern
m"n' -" -" th. old legislative council I
whether hIcameral or not. cast out entirely
~ the idea of government Nv nNp.rt- de- I
,rop- this tendency may grow muCn
stronger and ind increasing application In
political entities larger than municipalities +
Already, however IN several count ris- /
abroad where parliamentary Institutions /
ar" vel established there IL virtual single ]
chamber government. Canada Senat. - .
merely name. and " may h.. fairly aid !
that the -ingl" chamber government in IN.
dominion not only eVl-t- hut also j. "mi- !
n.ntly -ucc"--ful lf now the British I
House Of Lord should I've permanently de |
priNed Of IT. absolute" veto. m acCorda,..,. |
with the Ministry programme. and .Shnt |
amounts to single "hamh"r government !
should prov" satisfactory ~ IN" Wi.,-h dc |
mo"ra"y 'h-"Nantrls upon d"mn"r ,'r"- else !
'h"r" could n"' FAIL 80 h" profound
The nit"'i states may become REGULARLY /
susceptible tn those radical Influences |
There j. every Indication that IN" country /
j. growing NOR. rather than less devoted to !
the principles Of government hv N. people !
THIS q. proved especially nv the widening
popularity Of ~" initiative 'hc referendum
and the recall which are So far demo- |
To tho representative system Rur II must
finally ~ point" on that rho senate in ,h,. .
country - the more pow erfuI ~ The two
branches az '"nRress no'wi' h~tandinx tina,
" - not the popular branch Thu. fact
may come 80 mean very much IN case 10. !
no"ra"y develops and second chamber.
elsewhere lo-s prestige and our di-,rihuiIon
~ population becomes sv~n more unn1usI
nd the Fsi~ral principle IN our ',oVprnrrert
lo-~~ ground For thsn tho conditions
would ne rip~ for such q NOV arnsnt agains,
the senate ~ might destroy ~ utterly
n - not IN the least Impo-sihl. tina, tho
present agitation for The election nI nitcd
States Senators directly nv the people points
the way toward an ultimate attack ui.--. - /
Senate that would completely sha''er ia
Congressional . ipr~ma"y Second chambers
nowhere are sacred or even popular I've
mocrncies never liked them Let W. TAX.
'on4 look ahead