The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-06-04

Washington, May SIT will oe
better for this country" said Senator
owen. Of Oklahoma, today, when
Senators and members of Congress
and State legislators and municipal
legislators are chosen by the direct
vote OF the people, and when the peo-
pie have the right OF recall by the
nomination Of a successor to their
public servants. The people will new
er abuse their power The Senator
was speaking in the Senate in favor Of
a resolution introduced by him, in ac-
cordance with the wishes of the iegis-
lature Of the State Of Oklahoma, pro-
viding for the submission of a consti-
tutional amendment for the election
of Senators by direct vote Of the peo-
pie.
Such an amendment, he said, would
prevent the corruption of legislatures,
would prevent the improper use of
money in the campaigns by men am
bilious to obtain a seat in the Senate
and would compel candidates for the
Senate to be subjected to the severe
scrutiny of a campaign before the
people and compel the selection of the
best fitted men. Further, he said, 1t
would popularize government and
tend to increase the confidence Of the
people In the Senate, (which has been
to some extent impaired in recent
years" 1t would also prevent dead
locks, he continued, due to political
contests in which various States from
time to time had been left unrepre-
sented.
II cannot believe said Senator
Owen, that the Senate Is conscious of
the widespread public demand for
the election of Senator'S by direct vote
E-efsths people. therefore submit evil
dance of action taken by the various
States. showing that thirty-six of them
have expressed themselves, In one
form of another. favorably to the
election Of Senator's by direct vote of
the people.
Il believe" he declared, that the
VIII OF the people is far more nearly
right In the main than the will of any
individual statesman who is apt to be
honored by them with q seat in the
Senate; that the whole people are
more apt to be safe and sane, more
apt to be sound and honest than ,
single individual. At all events. I
feel not only willing, but / really de-
sire, to make effective the will of the
people of my State.
Democratic and Republican States
alike west Of the Hudson River have
acted favorably in this matter almost
without exception. Only eight or nine
States have failed to act, and / do not
doubt that If the voice of the people
OF these States Of New England. of
New York, Maryland and Delaware
could find convenient expression. free
from machine politics, every one of
them would favor the election of Sem
ators by direct vote and would favor
the right OF the people to instruct
their representatives in Congress and
the Senate.
Not only the States have acted
unanimously in favor Of this right of
the people, but all the great parties
of the country. except the Republican
party have done so. and that party
would have declared for it except for
the Overwhelming influence and dom
ination of machine politics in its man.
agement and the prevalence of So
called boss influence"
Senator owen maintained that "the
great evil from which the American
people have suffered in recent years
has been the secret. but well known
alliance between commercial interests
and machine politics by which COM
m al int ho,