The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-06-02
SENATORS BY DIRECT ELECTION.

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Senator Owen of oklahoma made q
great speech in the Senate on Tuesday
in favor of the election Of United States
Senators by direct vote OF the people
He cited party declarations in favor OF
that course, named the States that have
declared in favor of it, and gave pro.
fuse citations of the reports on the
working of the primary law in large
number Of States. He was especially
forccful in the presentation of the
fact that enough States had declared in
favor of an amendment TO the Consti.
tuition providing for this change in the
manner Of election of Senators, to call
for the amendment Of the Constitution
which he advocates
And yet, by his own showing. that
amendment is entirely unnecessary;
for large number of the States have
made exactly the provisions that Sena.
tor Owen advocates, and if the States
make such provision, it is easy to en-
force II IN, precisely the same way as
In the election of the President; al
though nominally under the Constitu-
ton. the selection is by electors chosen,
these electors have for many years in
tact had their independent function
superseded by the popular vote. In
precisely the same way, the Constitu-
tional provision for tho election Of
United States Senators by the legisla-
tors is controlled, in actually, by the
people through primary elections and
pledges required of candidates in States
where primary elections rule. The most
striking illustration of the manner i'm
which this works, and ono most aIIur-
ing 10 the Democratic mind, is the case
OF Oregon, where Republican State
has sent a Democrat 10 the United
States Senate by reason Of pledges pro.
vided for under the primary law of that
state At the same election at which
the legislators are chosen, the people
OF oregon vote their choice for United
States Senators. The legislators are
required by pledge under the law to
give their adherence TO the popular
cholce, and carry out tho popular will
so expressed. In the Oregon case Mr..
Cham mberlain. a Democrat. received q
majority Of the votes of the people as
their choice for United States Sena
tor; Republican Legislature was elect.
ed. Great pressure was brought TO bear
upon the Republican members of the
Legislature to disregard their pledge
and vote for Republican for
IN spite of the people s
choice, This pressure, however, was
vain. The members adhered honorably
to their pledges, and Republican Leg.
islature elected Mr.. Chamberlain,
Democrat, No greater test of the
effectiveness of the primary law could
be offered than this. The Legislators of
Oregon simply recorded the will of the
voters of their State, precisely as the
Presidential electors record the choice
Of the people as expressed at a Presi-
Dental election. AS long as this can
be done. and it is done generally
throughout the South. and is being
worked out In number of Northern
States also, there appears no need
whatever of Constitutional amend.
nent on this point. Those States
which desire TO have the people choose
;he United States Senators, can so pro-
vide. Those who do not, can adhere
% the old system. Whenever the peo-
ole in any State desire to have this
election in their own hands, they can
elect legislators accordingly, and the
change is at once provided.
This change can be brought about in
,wo ways; first. by following the Ore
,on plan in having the people vote
heir choice for United States Senators,
With the pledge of the candidates for
he Legislature that they will give eff
'ect to the people IS selection. Another
method would be for the party con
Tentions TO make regular nominations
'or United States Senator, binding the
legislative candidates of their party in
ldvance to support the nominee, in
,ase their party succeeds In winning
control Of the Legislature. Either way
S effective, and either way would do
lway altogether with the agitation in
'avor of constitutional amendment,
which experience has abundantly shown
o be entirely needless. The people can
slect their United States Senators now
whenever they wish TO do so, and that
s all the power that any amendment
o the Constitution could give them OF
his subject.
AEROPLANE VS., WARSHIP.