The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1910-12-27
NO DIRECT BALLOT
FOR SENATORS
Upper House Will Balk Eff
fort to Put the Measure
Through.

|
come, when congress will submit to
the states for ratification an amend
ment to the federal constitution pro-
viding for the popular election of
United States senator's, but no such
legislation will be enacted at the
present session.
| Friends of popular election who
| have canvassed the situation in the
senate assert that majority of that
body favors a change in the method
of electing senators. If this be true,
it is the first time in the history of
the government that majority of
the senate has entertained this view.
the limited time at the disposal of
the senate this winter makes it pos
sible for determined minority to
thwart the will of a majority, and
| flibuster could easily prevent a vote
upon the pending resolution, which
has been reported by the committee
on the judiciary.
Sentiment FavOrs the Action.
Unquestionably sentiment in favor
of popular election of senators is
growing steadily throughout the
country. as evidenced by the adop-
ton of several forms of primary laws
in the various states. These laws are
designed, so far as the senatorship
is concerned, to take from the legis-
lature its constitutional right of
| ri
right with the people. But the lack
of uniformity in primary laws has
served to emphasize the necessity for
national action, AMI that can only
come through an amendment to the
Constitution.
In most states the primary is only
advisory; in Oregon and Nebraska
it is practically mandatory upon the
legislature. But even in these two
states it is admitted that the primary
law is defective and not as satisfac-
tory as a Constitutional amendment,
Senator w. E. Borah of Idaho is
the leader in the fight to have the
change made. Opposed to him are
Senator Eugene Hale of Maine and
Senator Boise Penrose of Pennsyl-
vania. These two men are a pow
er in the ranks of the regulars, and
they will make it difficult to secure
any action.
| Senate RaIlxs the Houso
The house of representatives has
| many times passed resolutions fa-
voring popular election of senator's,
but each time the senate has refused
to act upon them, and usually be-
cause the committee has refused to
make a report. This session de-
mand was made that the resolution !
be reported in order that the ques-
ton might come before the senate
for consideration, if not for action.
and in accordance with that demand
a report has been submitted.
But it is one thing to get favor
able report, and quite another thing
to get a vote. Moreover, it requires
two-thirds vote of both houses of
Congress to amend the Constitution,
and while it may be true that a ma
| jCrity Of the present senate favors
| popular election of senators, there is
| serious reason to question if two
thirds OF that body would so vote if |
/ it were given the opportunity. Two |
thirds of the house would be ready
at any time to vote for such an
amendment, but it is the senate that
stands in the way.
No Vote This Session.
However, as indicated above, the !
| trouble that will be encountered this |
I session will be in bringing the |
amendment resolution to a vote, |
rather than in securing the neces-
sary votes to adopt the amendment |
With the appropriations having
right of way over everything else,
and with 10 to Il appropriations
bills demanding consideration be-
tween January and March 4, there |
will be little time to give up to de- |
bate on Constitutional amendment. |
and the opponents of popular cleo
tion can readily insist that a propo- |
sition so important should not be act
ed upon by the senate until it is |
fully and thoroughly discussed. |
Thorough discussion of any great |
question by the senate requires at |
least four months. according to the
present-day standards.
There will be better prospect of |
amending the Constitution in the
next Congress than in the present. |
But whatever may be the prospects |
after March H. the pending resolu-
ton is doomed to die a lingering |
death in the present senate. 1t will |
not reach a vote.