The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1911-04-21
POPULAR VOTE BILL
PUT THROUGH
or MAKES RECORD TIME ON
SENATORIAL ELECTION
MEASURE.
o.,ssd After Six Hours Debate by =
vote of 2s6 to 16-RepubIicans
Voted for It in Final Form, Though
contending Strenuously for Some
Amendments.

washington, April 15.-The house of
CONSERVATIVES by vote OF 296 to Is,
toto Thursday passed the Rucker reso-
,ution, proposing a constitutional
amendment for the direct election Of
11nted States senators. This is the
frst of the Democratic program mea-
sures PASSED by the house. 1t went
tbrough without modification and with
. cneed that brought protests from the
Republicans.
The resolution, as the house approx
Cd il. is in the form of the BOrah reso-
mtion, reported out of the senate judi
ciary committee in the closing days Of
the last congress.
Basis of Opposition.
Republican opposition to the Rucker
resolution in the house was based on
the fact that it did not contain the
changes afterwards made in the fight
in the senate, which assured to con-
gress continued control over elections
in the several states.
After six hours of debate, in which
many demands were made for this
change in the resolution, all but fifteen
Republicans voted for the resolution.
The majority of them had stated dur.
ing the debate that they would sup
mort the resolution because convinced
the public wanted such constitutions
al amendment submitted to the coun-
try as quickly as possible.
Those Who Opposed.
Those who opposed the resolution
on the final vote were:
Republicans-Cannon, Mann, Illi-
nois; Danforth, Malby, New York;
Dodds, Fordney, McMorran, Michigan;
Harris, Lawrence, Mccall. Wilder, Mas
sachusetts; Kinds, Maine; Sulloway,
New Hampshire; Utter, Rhode Island.
Former Speaker Cannon, Republican
leader Mann and others of the Repub-
lcans who voted against the measure
declared that it's form was such as to
threaten the federal government with
the loss of control over senatorial cleo
tons in the states, given to safeguard
the integrity of these elections.
Fear Danger to Supervision.
They insisted, as did other Republic
cans who ultimately voted for the res
olution, that the direct election amend
ment should be offered without any
language that would be dangerous to
the future congressional supervision of
senatorial elections.
Democratic leaders declared that the
Rucker resolution was open to no such
construction.
Reciprocity Bill Before House.
The Canadian reciprocity bill was
formally laid before the house just be-
fore adjournment Friday, and, after
debate, which probably will continue
three days, it will be passed.
That action will be taken is no long
er a matter for speculation, as the
Democratic majority has indicated be-
yond all doubt it's ability to put
through its legislative program
Chairman Underwood, of the ways
and means committee, called up the
canadian bill at o'clock. While no
time was fixed for general debate, a
motion was adopted dividing what
ever time is consumed between Mr..
Underwood, who reported the bill, and
representative Dalzell, of Pennsyl-
Vanla, the Republican member of the
ways and means committee, who will
lead the opposition to the measure.