Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-06-13
DIRECT VOTE WINS
Popular Election of Senators
Passes Upper House.
OVER NECESSARY MAJORITY
After Nearly Ten-Hour Debate Res
olution Is Adopted. "a to "a.
MAY RETURN AMENDMENT
Representative Underwood Does
Not Believe House Will
OVER NECESSARY MAJORITY
MAY RETURN AMENDMENT


tow amendment inserted in the resolution
providing for the direct election of sena-
tors, which was passed by the Senate
late last night The Bristow amendment
was agreed to by a vote of ~ TO A. the
Vice President breaking the tie. Repre-
sentative Underwood of Alabama. the
democratic floor leader in the House.
commenting upon this action by
the Senate. said this afternoon he
thought the action of the House in
voting down the same amendment
when the resolution was under con-
sideration in the lower branch meant
that the direct election resolution
would undoubtedly go to conference
and that there would be a fight in the
conference committee. The House dem
ocrats are pledged to vote against all
amendments to the direct election res
olution
The final vote upon the bill was not
taken until nearly 10 o'clock. after de-
bate lasting from noon
The resolution. which was passed by
the House several weeks ago, will go back
to that body in its amended form. There
were plenty of predictions today that the
House would not agree to the amend
ment, certainly not without a struggle.
Senator Reed of Missouri protested
against the Vice Presidents casting the
| deciding vote on the Bristow amendment
under the circumstances. The tie vote
| A to 4Ewould have resulted in defeating
| the amendment.
An amendment. offered by Senator Ba-
con of Georgia, qualifying the Bristow
amendment to prohibit federal supervi-
sion of the election Of senators unless
the state legislature should refuse or fail
to act was defeated. 46 TO AZ.
Clarke Breaks From Partyt
Adoption of the Bristow amendment,
| which omitted the House provision
| transferring supervision of senatorial
elections from Congress to the state
| legislature. was made possible by Mr.
| Clarke of Arkansas casting the only
democratic vote for the proposition.
The tie on that ballot would have been
prevented If his vote had been cast
with his party, with whom he later
| voted on adoption of the resolution.
| On this first ballot five republicans.
Messrs. Borah. Gronna, La Toilette.
Poindexter and Works. all insurgents.
voted against the provision. On the
six more than the necessary two
thirds majority. OF the twenty four
| negative votes, eight were cast by
democrats and sixteen by republicans
as follows: observation-disclosures
Burnham, Crane. Dillingham;, Gallinger,
Hepburn. Lippitt, Lodge, Lorimer.
oliver, Page, Penrose. Richardson, Root,
Smoot and Wetmore. Democrats-Ba-
con. Bankhead, Fletcher, Foster, John
ston. Percy, Terrell and Williams. The
| follows:
THAT in lieu of the first paragraph
Of section of article L of the Con-
stitution of the United States and
| in lieu of SO much of paragraph two
of the same section as relates to the
| filling of vacancies the following be
| proposed as an amendment to the
| Constitution, which shall be valid to
| the Constitution when ratified by the
! legislatures Of three-fourths of the
states
The Senate of the United States
| shall be composed of two senators
| from each state, elected by the people
thereof, for six years; and each sena-
| tor shall have one vote. The electors
| in each state shall have the qualifi-
| cations requisite for electors Of the
most numerous branch Of the state
| legislature.
Elections to Fill Vacancies.
when vacancies happen in the rep
| resentation of any state in the Sem
| ate. the executive authority of such
state shall issue writs of election to
| fill such vacancies. Provided. that
| the legislature Of any state may en-
| power the executive thereof to make
temporary appointments until the
| people fill the vacancies by election
| as the legislature may direct
This amendment shall not be so con-
| structed to affect the election or term
of any senator chosen before I becomes
valid as part OF the Constitution"
Having determined to vote before ad-
| journment on the resolution looking to
the election of United States sena tors by
direct vote of the people the Senate de-
voted its undivided attention to that SUBJ
| iect throughout the day. and when night
| fell was in such a maze of speechmak-
| ing that there was prospect for the in
| definite prolongation of the session.
The debate began shortly after noon. It
soon drifted into political affair. Demo-
cratic senators critised Senator Bris-
| tow's change of attitude. Mr.. Bristow
| framed the principal amendment, in the
| nature Of substitute to the main propo
sition, and he seeks to continue the SUPER
vision of senatorial elections In Congress
| instead Of delegating 1t to the states as
proposed by the House resolution. In the
| last session the Kansas senator voted
against an amendment offered by Senator
Sutherland of Utah. which would have
had the same effect as his own provision
of this session.
Mr.. Bristow said that in both instances
his attitude had been decided by his de-
sire to do that which most certainly
would insure the success of the popular
election resolution.
Mr.. Bristow's Change Of Front.
Mr. Stone of Missouri arrafgned Mr..
Bristow "snatching the amendment"
from Mr.. Sutherland Mr.. Bristow said
he first believed the measure would be
stronger without the provision and now
believed 1T would be stronger with it.
Mr.. Davis of Arkansas arraigned Mr..
Bristow. Referring by name to Sena-
tors Cummins. Clapp and La Toilette.
he declared 1.-THE insurgent crowd never
had been sincere on any subject they
have brought before the country"
The chair called Mr.. Davis to order.
Mr.. Cummins denied Mr. Davis state
ment of an alleged instance as untrue
Mr.. Bristow refuted the charge saying
that only under great provocation
would he pay any attention to what
the senator from Arkansas said"
Mr.. Bacon aroused feeling by declar-
ing that great interests had been bring
ing enormous pressure to bear to de-
feat the resolution. Senators Works.