Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-04-18
POPULAR ELECTION BILL
IS FAVORED IN HOUSE
Vote on Bill in the House Was
296 to 16--0ne Democrat
Against Bill

WASHINGTON. D. c.. April 14.-Aft-
er six hours of debate the Rncker
resolution. providing for the election Of
United States senators by popular vote,
passed the house of representatives BY
vote of 296 to is. The only Democrat
who opposed the resolution nsfinal vote
was Mr.. McDermott, of Chicago.
The resolution, as the house approved
IT, is in the form of the Borah resolu-
ton reported out of the senate judiciary
committee in the closing days of the last
congress-. Republican opposition to the
Rucker resolution in the house today
was based on the fact that 1t did nor
contain the changes afterwards made IN
the fignt in the senate, which assured
to congress control over elections in he
states.
After six hours of debate, 10 which
many demands were made for this
change. all but 10 OF the Republicans
voted for the measure. The majority of
them had stated during the debate they
would support the resolution anyway be-
cause they were convinced the public
wanted such a constitutional amendment
submitted quickly.
Those who opposed the resolution on
the final vote were:
epublicans-Cannon, Mann. Illinois;
Danforth, Dwight, Malby, New York;
Dodds, Fordney McMorran. Michigan;
Harris Lawrence, Mccall, Wilder. Mas
sachusetts; Kinds, Maine; Sulloway. New
Hampshire; Utter, Rhode Island
Democrats cDermott. Illinois.
Former Speaker Cannon, Republican
Leader Mann. and others of the Republic
cans who voted against the measure, de-
cIared its form was such as to threaten
the government with the loss of the con-
troll over senatorial elections in the states
given TO safeguard the integrity of these
elections. They insisted, as did other Re-
publicans who ultimately voted for the
resolution, that the direct election amend
ment should be offered without any Ian
guage attached that might be dangerous
to the future congressional supervision of
senatorial elections.
RUCKER RESOLUTION.
Democratic leaders declared the Rucker
resolution was open to no such construc-
ton and that it offered the most nearly
perfect constitutional amendment that
could be devised. The amendment offered
by Representative Young, of Michigan,
adding language that resembled that of
the Sutherland amendment adopted in
the senate two months ago. was defeated
by a party vote of 121 to 100.
Republican insurgents, led by Repre-
Sentat1NeS LenrOOJ anu cooper, u " 10
consin. forced a record vote on the final
passage of the resolution The house vot-
ed Overwhelmingly in favor Of the meas
ure when Speaker Clark called for the
viva voce vote; but the insurgents de-
manded a roll CALL in order to put the
house on record on the subject. The DEM
ocrats quickly seconded this demand.
1t was day of lively debate Rrac7
ticalIy every man who spoke favored the
direct election amendment. The diner
ences arose mainly over the form of the
resolution and the constitutional argu-
ment of whether the powers of the feder-
al government were in any way threat
ened.
Representative Tribble. of Georgia, and
other new members. figured in the de-
bate.
Representative Norris, of Nebraska,
and other leading Republican insurgents
declared everybody favored the general
idea. but the Democrats did wrong TO
couple it with language that might cree
ate doubt in the minds of voters. as to
the power actually surrendered by the
government.
Chairman Rucker, with the approval or
his Democratic colleagues. urged the
house to defeat any amendments.