The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1911-04-14
Decisive Vote of 296 to Is Carries
Direct Election ResOlu-
ton Through.
CANNON AND MANN BOTH
LINE UP IN OPPOSITION.
Resolution Is in Form of BOrah
Resolution Reported to
L Last. Senate.

WASHINGTON. April 13.-The
House OF Representatives by vote
OF 296 TO 16 passed this evening the
Rucker resolution proposing con
stitutional amendment for the direct
election OF United States senators.
This is the first of the Democratic
program measures passed by the
house. Backed by a solid Democra-
tic phalanx, ii went through without
modification and with speed that
brought protests from the Republi-
cans.
The resolution as the house ap-
proved IL is in the form OF the Borsh
resolution 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 it did not contain the
changes afterwards made in the fight
in the Senate. which assured 20 Con
gress continued control over elections
in the several states.
Fifteen Republicans Bolt.
After six hours OF debate. in which
many demands were made for this
change in the resolution all but fif-
teen OF the Republicans voted for the
passage OF the resolution. The ma
Jority OF them had stated during the
DEBATE that they would support the
resolution anyway, because they were
convinced the public wanted such a
constitutional amendment submitted
10 the country as quickly as possible.
Those who opposed the resolution
on the final vote were:
Republicaus-Cannon, Mann. III
inois; Danforth, Dwight. Maltby. New
York: Dodds. Fordney. McMorran.
Michigan; Harris. Lawrence. Mccall.
Wilder. Massachusetts; Kinds. Maine;
Sulloway. New Hampshire; Utter.
Rhode Island.
Democrats-M McDermott. Illinois.
Former speaker Cannon. Republi-
can leader Mann and others OF the
Republicans who voted against the
measure declared That its form was
such as 20 threaten the federal gov
ernment with the loss OF control over
Senatorial elections in the states
given 10 safeguard the integrity OF
these elections. They said. as did
other Republicans who ultimately vot-
ed for the resolution. that the direct
election amendment should be Of
fered without any language attached
that might be dangerous TO the future
congressional supervision OF senator.
ial elections
Young Amendment Lost
Democratic leaders declared that
the Rucker resolution was open 20 no
such construction and that 81 offered
the most nearly perfect constitutional
amendment thar could be devised. An
amendment offered by Repres entative
Young. OF Michigan. adding language
that resembled that of the Sutherland
amendment adopted Co The senate two
months ago. was defeated by party
vote OF I21 20 100.
The Republican insurgents. led hy
Representative Lcnroot and Cooper.
Of Wisconsin. forced a record vote on
the final passage of the resolution.
The house voted overwhelmingly In
favor OF fhe measure when Speaker
. Clark called for the viva voce vote.
bur the insurgents demanded a rOll
"ali in order TO put the house on
fncord on the subject Tho Demo
Gratis quickly seconded the demand
70 was a day Of lively debate. Prac.
fcaily every man who spoke favored
the direct election amendment The
difference arose mainly over the
f0rm of tho resolution and the con
stifufIonai argument 0f whether fhc
powers of tho federal government
were in any way threatened