Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-06-13
Senate Votes Tor Direct
Election oil Senators,
Rcp, RedlieId Makes Attack on
Protective Tariff System.
Subposnas for promiasnt Men 10
Testify al Lorlmer Inquiry.

tution to provide tor election of SEN
ators by direct popular vote. The
Bristow amendment. giving to the
federal government supervision OF
such elections. was adopted. IL to A.
the Vice President casting the decid-
ing ballot The House has already
adopted the resolution
Senator Reed of Missouri protested
against the Vice President casting
his deciding vote. An amendment by
Senator Bacon qualifying the Bris-
tow amendment to prohibit federal
supervision of elections unless a state
LEGISLATURE refuses or fails to act was
defeated IS to AZ The resolution as
amended was then finally adopted "a
to "a.
The debate began shortly after noon.
1t soon drifted into political affair.
Democratic senator's criticized Sena-
tor Bristow's change of attitude, Mr..
Bristow framed the principal address
in the nature of substitute to the
maine resolution and he seeks to con-
tinue the supervision of sena torial
elections in Congress instead of dele
eating it 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 this session.
Mfr. Bristow said that in both in
stances his attitude was dictated by
his desire TO do that which most GER
tainly would insure the success of
the popular election resolution.
Mr.. Borah. in charge of the resolution,
spoke in support of it, and Mr.. Bacon
opposed the Bristow amendment.
Mr.. Davis of Arkansas arraigned Mr..
Bristow. Referring by name to Senators
Cummins. Clapp and La Toilette, he said:
THE Insurgent crowd never have been
sincere on any subject they have brought
before the country"
5 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 provoeation
would he pay any attention to what the
senator from Arkansas did.
Mr.. Bacon aroused feeling by saying
that great interests had been bringing
enormous pressure to bear to defeat the
resolution and Senators Works. Guggen-
helm and Cummins arose to contradict
the statement.
! Mr.. Bacon explained that he was inn
putting no improperly to any member.
The alleged detection of the Progress
sives was scored by Senator Reed of
Missouri. who said the conversion of Mr..
Bristow to Senator Sutheriand's view
point was because of the Negro vote in
Kansas"
Washington. June 12-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 Ark He cast the
only Democratic vote for the proposal.
The tie on that ballot would have been
prevented II his vote had been cast with
his party with whom he later voted on
adoption Of the resolution. On this bal
lot five Republicans Messrs Borah.
Gronna. La Toilette, Poindexter and
Works all Insurgents. voted against the
provision On the resolution as amend
ed the vote 81 to "a was six more than
the necessary two-thirds majority. The
"a negative votes eight were cast by
Democrats and Is by Republicans as fol-
lows:
Republicans Brandagee Burnham.
Crane. Dillingham;. Galiinger, Hepburn,
Lippitt, Lodge, Lorimer. Oliver. Page.
Penrose. Richardson, Smoot and Wet
more.
Democrats-Bacon, Bankhead, Fletcher,
Foster, Johnston. Percy, Terrell and Will
liams.
The resolution as amended and passed
follows:
That in lieu of the first paragraph of
section three of article one 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 all sintents and purposes
as part of the Constitution when ratified
by the Legislature or 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 SEN
ator shall have one vote The electors
in each state shall have the uualifica-
tions requisite for electors of the most
numerous branch Of the State Legis-
latures.
When vacancies happen in the rep
resentation of any state in the Senate
the executive authority of such state
shall issue writs of election to fill such
vacancies: Provided, that the Legis-
lature of any state may empower the
executive thereof to make temporary
appointments until the people fill the
vacancies by election as the Legisla-
ture may decide.
This amendment shall not be so
construed as to affect the election or
term OF any senator chosen before it
becomes valid as part of the Constitu-
ton
The amended resolution now goes to
conference between the House and
Senate.