The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1911-06-16
BORAH'S SPEECH On
DIRECT ELECTION OF
SENATOR


I do not know whether this resOlu-
luton will prevail at this time or not.
I shall be exceedingly pleased If it
does. shall not be discouraged If it
does not. l do know that the fight
will never cease until the people are
given an opportunity to vote upon this
subject, or remember that we are not
asking and cannot ask for an amend
ment to the constitution, we are only
asking and can only ask that the
people be given a right to vote upon
the amendment. Unsettled questions
have no pity for the contentment of
mankind. For nearly a hundred years
this question has been seriously de-
bated among the people. For more
than fifty years there has been an
earnest and persistent demand that
the matter be submitted to vote in
the respective legislatures. Thirty
two states of the Union have in some
form 81. resolution called for this
fclfange. Millions of people have in
some form or other asked that we
submit it. To deny their right to
| have it submitted is to repudiate the
first principle of free government.
To refuse the people the right after
this long standing, earnest, patient
plea to vote upon notifications of
their government is to plant the seeds
of distrust and dissatisfaction in the
breasts of those without whose 10y
atty and confidence we have no gov
|ernment. 1t is unwise, it is the most
disastrous course which men who
would preserve the underlying prin-
Iciples of our government could pos
sibly take. 1t is defiant challenge
to the people to have voice in their
government at all. Men who would
not give the right even to vote upon
such subject would undoubtedly, If
they could, deny the people any say
or voice in matters of government.
| Not Notoriety Seekers
1t has been declared so many times
that there is no public or general
demand for this change in the consti-
tution-that the people do not want
lit. 1t is urged with much scorn and
more vol that the movement has
it's support with few men who are
seeking cheap notoriety. Those men
who so declare convict by their own
act their words of insincerity.. Such
linsincere and fallacious assertions can
never mislead any mind except the
self-infatuated minds which gave
them birth, This amendment can
never be adopted unless there is an
Overwhelming public sentiment for it.
lit requires three-fourths to defeat.
Are you not willing to submit the
matter where the people must win by
such great odds If they win at all?
If there is no public sentiment, no
earnest, widespread, public demand,
then there is no danger ofsubmission.
On the other hand, if there are three
fourths of the states of the Union in
favor of it, who will be so bold as to
say that they are not to have chance
to vote upon it? The fact is that
those who oppose his measure, while
protesting great reverence and love
for the constitution, nevertheless defy
lit. The right to amend the constitu-
ton is just as much part of the
constitution, just as obligatory upon
men sworn to support it, as any other
part of that instrument. When the
people petition for the exercise OF
this power, and through long years
and repeated exertions seek the right
so given to deny, it is to deny them
a right guaranteed by the constitu-
ton.
Fight Shy of Truth
But those who oppose this measure
are unwilling to submit to the criti-
cal test of truth-that is, debate be-
fore the tribunal which is to finally
decide it. If senator's who think this
change unwise have faith in their ar.
guments, If they believe that expert
ence and reason and patriotism are
against the change, will they not then
consent to pass this contest from
from this forum to the forum of pub.
lie opinion. II you are not afraid Of
your cause and if you do not distrust
your argument in which you seek to
sustain your position then it must be
that you distrust the judgment and
the patriotism of that tribunal to
whinh you are asked to scbmit it. II
one or the other were not true you
would at least be willing to give the
people chance to vote. A man who