The searchlight. [volume] (Culbertson, Mont.) 1902-current, 1911-06-16
RESOLUTION AMENDING FER.
ERAL CONSTITUTION ADOPTED
BY VOTE OF q TO ~.
DEBATE LASTS TILL NIGHT
eristow Amendment Giving Nation
Supervision Also Goes Through
With Vice Presidents
Vote.

" VI " - pdesoo tn0 T0BOIuIl0o
amending the constitution to provide
for the election Of senators By direct
popular vote. The Bristow amend.
ment, giving to the federal govern
ment supervision of such elections,
was adopted a to ~. the vice presi-
dent casting the deciding ballot. The
house already has passed the rssolu-
ton.
Senator Reed Of Missouri protested
against the vice president casting his
deciding vote. An amendment By
Senator Bacon qualifying the Bristow
amendment to prohibit federal super.
vision Of election unless the state leg
islature refuse or fail to act was de-
feated 46 to 43. The resolution as
amended was then finally adopted 81
to "a.
Adoption of the Bristow amendment
which omitted the house provisions
transferring supervision Of senatorial
elections from congress to the state
legislature was made possible by Mr..
Clarke Of Arkansas casting the only
Democratic vote for the proposition.
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 first ballot five Republicans,
Messrs. Borah, Gronna, La Toilette,
Poindexter and Works, all insurgents,
voted against the provision. On the
resolution as amended tho vote stood
GA to "a, or six more than the neces.
sary two-thirds majority.
Names Of Negative Voters.
or the "a negative votes eight were
cast by Democrats and Is by Repub.
licans, as follows:
Republicans - Brandegee, Burnham.
Lippitt, Lodge. Lorimer, Oliver. Page.
Penrose, Richardson. Root, Smoot and
Wetmore.
Democrats Bacon, Bankhead,
Fletcher, Foster. tombstone, Percy.
Terrell, and Williams.
The resolution as amended and
passed follows:
That in lieu Of the first paragraph
of section Of article of the consti
tuition of the United States. and In lieu
of SO much Of paragraph 2 Of the same
section as relates to the filling of va
cancies, the following be proposed az
an amendment TO the constitution
which shall be valid to all intents
and purposes as part Of the constitu
ton when ratified by the legislature,
Of three-fourths of the states:
People to Elect Senators.
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 qualifica
tons requisite for electors of the mos
numerous branch of the state legisla
| lures.
When vacancies happen in the rep
resentation of any state in the senate
/ the executive authority of such stat,
/ shall issue writs of election to fill sucl
| vacancies; provided. that the lesisla
ture of any state may empower thu
executive thereof to make temporar!
! appointments until the people NIL thu
vacancies by election as the lsgisls
ture may direct.
This amendment shall not be Q,
construed as to affect the election o
term OF any senator chosen before !
becomes valid as part of the constitu
ton"
The amended resolution now goe
into conference between the senat
and house, and some senators predict
ed that the house would refuse to az
cept it.
The debate began shortly afte
noon. II soon drifted into a politics
affair. Democratic senators criticize
Senator Bristow's change Of attitude
Mr.. Bristow framed the principe
amendment. in the nature of a sui
stitute to the main proposition. an
he seeks to continue the superyisio
of senatorial elections in congress il
stead of delegating 1t to the state,
as proposed by the house resolution
In the last session the Kansas Sci
ator voted against the amendment o
fered by Senator Sutherland of Utal
which would have had the same effec
as his own provision Of this session
Explains His Attitude.
Mr.. Bristow said that In both u
stances his attitude had been dictate
by his desire to do that which mo,
certainly would insure the success {
the popular election resolution.
Senator Borah. in charge of the re-
olution. spoke in support of 1t, an
Senator Bacon opposed the Bristo
amendment.