The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-02-14

y i
The most active dcstroycrs of insects
arc song birds. III preserving them
we help the farmer.
There are few States Which have
proper game laws. and Virginia is def
Gent in this matter Wise laws were
General Assembly. only to he rejected
The next Legislature should pass a
practical and adequate game law for
this State.
@---------------------.-
ROOTS WARNING no THE SOUTH.
Elihu Root, OF New York. made a
striking speech in the Senate last
/ week in opposition to the election Of
! United states Senators by direct vote
! # the people and In the course of
ais remarks, uttered several very stag
serinE warnings to the Southern SEN
dtors as TO what tho adoption OF such
an amendment to the Constitution
"ouid mean for this part Of the coun-
Try. When asked by Senator Bacon. Of
Georgia. whether or no. tie senator
,rom New York meant TO say that
Cohsress would lave the power to
annul the suffrage amendments of tho
constitutions Of the Southern states
II the sutherland Amendment under
consideration in the Senate should he
adopted along with the resolution pro-
viding for the election OF Senators bv
popular vote. Mr.. Root declared tina,
ne mad not the slightest doubt upon
this point, and that he meant 70 placs
me Senator's from the South, and tina
Wholc country rs we'll. on notice tina,
such would be the result Of tho adop
ton Of the amendment providing for
the election of Senators by direct vote.
Immediately the Senator from Georgia
declared that the amendment under
consideration looking to this end seem.
ca TO present too great n risk for tho
Southern Senator'S TO run
We were not as much Impressed by
me warning OF Mr.. Root as the South
crn Senators appear to have been. our
objection to tho amendment Of The Con.
sitntion providing for the direct cleo
ton Of Senator'S is not political,
Or partisan or sectional. hut
fundamental, and 1t was this
feature OF Mr.. Roots speech ;hat
impressed us athcr than his lescus
Of the bloodyshirt from the nnocuo,,s
desuctudc into which it has fallen and
its restoration as an active political
force The proposed change In the
election OF Senators, as Mr.. Root said
is inconsistent with the funda mental
designs of the trainers Of the Federal
Constitution. They wished to make tho
senate as much unlike the House as
possi5ie. more deliberate ana conserva
tive and more secure in It's tenure. srbe
senate said Mr.. Root rs constituted
10 protect The American democracy
AGAINST itself. Tie framcrs of the
Constitution realized that there should
ne guardian OF the sober second
thought Of the people The proposed
change only tends 10 make BON
| branches OF Congress more alike.
Senator Root also was entirely right
IN his contention that tic proposed
amendment OF the Constitution is
hased on the theory OF the incapacity
| Of the people Of tho United states to
elect faithful ana homes, legislators.
HE suggested that the resolution
should read something like this:
Whereas tho people Of thc United
States are ihcomnetent 10 elect faith-
i, - ~ : ''creiore be
| RESOLVED that the cons,i,n,io,
hv United states be amended is tax
III 'le rover OF eleciinE United states
vcstinr i, ~ ~ NJ sl .-s'Sin,ures and
LANDS"
That appears to us to he tbo wno,.
situation boiled down rhcra e ~
reason. in sound pol,,ics 49, saaa
morals. in tile proposed chanpa i, ~.
manner Of clecting senator's we a.
J not attach much ;,,nn,.,.,