The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1911-02-28
PROVIDED FOR A DIRECT VOTE
FOR UNITED STATES
SENATORS.
SENATOR PERCY SPOKE TWICE
Declared That if Southern Senators
Supported Resolution, il Would be
Criminal Blunder.
(Bu Associated Tress.)

LEY Associated Tress.)
Washington, Feb. 2S.-The senate
rejected the resolution with the Suth-
erland amendment today, providing
for the direct election of United States
senators on the failure of the vote to
show a two-thirds majority. The vote
was fifty-four and thirty-three against
or four votes less than the required,
two-thirds.
The following Democrats voted in
favor of the direct election of sena-
tors: Bailey, Chamberlain, Clarke. of
Arkansas: Culberson, Davis, Gore,
Martin, Newlands, Overman. Owen,
Painter, Rayner, Shively, Simmons,
Smith, of Maryland Smith, of South
Carolina; Stone, Swanson, Taylor,
Thornton, The Democrats who
voted against the direct cleo
tions, were: Bacon, Bankhead,
Fletcher, Foster, Johnston, Mon
ey, Percy, Taliferro, Tillman. 1t is
conceded that more Democrats would
have voted for the direct election ex-
cept for the Objectionable Sutherland
amendment, which gave the federal
government control of the elections.
Senator Percy Spoke.
For the second time during the
pendency of the resolution to amend
the constitution of the United States
to permit the election of senators by
direct vote, Senator Percy of Missis-
sppi, addressed the senate.
In. his first speech ne declared that
the Sutherland amendment providing
for federal control of elections to
choose senators would be too great a
price to pay for the Borah resolution,
and while he favored the proposition
to elect senators by direct vote, he
could not vote for the resolution with
the Sutherland amendment attached.
: Senator Percy joined Senator Bacon
of Georgia in presenting the views of
the opposing senators.
Senator Percy said in part: 1T is
conceded that under the resolution
now submitted carrying the Suther-
land amendment the federal congress
could take entire control of the cleo
tion Of senators by the people; would
have the power to appoint federal
registrars 10 determine who was en-
titled to register; federal supervisors
and federal judges to hold the cleo
tion; deputy United States marshals
judge, and supervisors, and the army
of the United States could be used to
reinforce such deputy marshals; a re-
turning board could be named to can
vass the election returns, and the SEN
ator would bear the senate not a
commission from the governor of his
state, but a certificate from such
board.
"The federal government can never
intervene in the South, save to the
Injury of both races.
They say they are willing for the
South to handle the race problem as
long as she handles it to suit con
gress.
"My reply is that whenever con.
gress takes charge of the federal elec
tions in the South, either at the die
tate of political necessity or as the
misguided victim of maudlin philan
thropy, wish to limit the area of its
-pernicious activity as far as possible
certainly never by my vote to extend
that power beyond what it is today.
"The South can and will maintain
a white mans government under its
constitution and laws.
"The conservative, God-fearing peo
pie of the South will administer thos,
laws in Justice and in honesty
"The demogogue at home she viii
take care of; he will preach either tn,
repeal of the fifteenth amendment o
race determination, as he thinks vii
best service his purpose, but in tn
long run intelligence will control. Blu
interference by the federal govern
ment would inname the passions o