Perth Amboy evening news., 1911-02-11

The stand taken by Senator Root Of
New York against the election Of Uni
ted States Senators by direct vote
of the people, has aroused much inter
est because of the prominent part Sen
ator Root has taken in national az
fairs. Senator Root is a great consti
tutional lawyer and has made q study
of the republican form Of government.
What he says in connection with the
election Of senators is in a large meas
ure true.
We believe that everyone who has
given the matter consideration, thor
onghly agrees with him whom he says
that it is not wise for the people of
the United States to acquire the habit
of amending the constitution. We are
all in one accord in the belief that
! ohdOiilbJ Is LpC AfbSbN IooCutkht tSdbAiU
ment in our form of government.
Judging from the difficulty experienced
in getting the amendment now so much
desired, it is not likely to become a
habit.
The people were perfectly satisfied
to nave United States senators elected
by the state Legislatures as long as men
thus chosen were truly representatives
of the people, and worked solely for
the welfare of the nation. 1t is only
since the comparatively recent growth
of the great corporations which require
special legislation and protection in
the law-making Bodies of the land, that
the people have begun to realize that
thore must be some way of keeping
the government under their own con
troll.
1t is with regret that we are forced
to admit that the United States sena-
tors are chosen today more for per-
sonal reasons than for the public good.
We have recently had an example of
this in New Jersey. While the people
finally won out and succeeded in hav-
ing a man sent to Washington who
was the popular choice, yet it was not
without the hardest kind of a fight,
and only because the people had such a
leader as Woodrow Wilson. The Uni
ted States senate, of late, has come to
be looked upon as a millionaire s club.
Men like J.. F. Dryden and Chauncey |
Depew, James Smith, Jr., and others
who have made their millions and who
are representatives of one or more Of
the special interests, find it very pleas.
ant to spend their last days in the so
cial atmosphere of the national capital.
bearing the title of senator. These
men, with their vast wealth, are well
able to. assist the various candidates
for the state legislatures at home who
are anxious to be elected, and, with
out sny coercion, perhaps, on their
part, they easily get the votes Of such
men who feel a personal obligation for
tho assistance rendered. In this way.
under the present system, men are sent
to the United States senate who are
not in the least fit for the position.
1t was to remedy this and to restore
popular government that the movement
was started to have United States SEN
ators elected direct. The people were
quick to see the advantage and the
movement has been carried SO far that
it can never be stopped The senate
may succeed in holding out for a year
or two longer, but eventually it has
got to come.
We want stability in government,
but that does not mean that we must
turn the government over to a few
representatives of corporations that
they may continue to plumber the ma
ton as has been done in the past.
Senator Roots recommendation is
good In theory, but we are up against
a condition, the only remedy for which
seems to be the election Of United
States senators by direct vote by the
people.
PLAYGROUND COMMISSION.
1t Is gratifying to hear from the