The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-02-18
BoRAH's SOUND SPEECH.


facts. He was advocating the pas
sage of constitutional amendmen
providing for the selection Of tht
Senators from the States by direc
vote of the people. And he pointed
out clearly that there is no upsettinl
Of the Government, neither legally MOI
additionally. in this proposition Al
a matter of fact, large number OF
States already select their Senators
in this way. The Legislatures, 1T is
true, are made the official record
| makers of this selection, but that is
all, The people really elect, Just as
they really elect the President, al
though officially and legally the cleo
tlon of President is in the hands OF
the college Of electors, that does not
meet TO make the official election un.
I'll some two months (the second Mon
day in january after the popular
election has been had. In like manner,
the Legislature would, on assembling,
record officially the determination
reached by the people at the popular
election for Senators. One might with
far greater reasoning argue that the
constitutional method of electing the
Vice-President had been subverted and
that the Government is thrown out of
rear by reason of the practical change
made IN the election of President and
Nice-President, than TO suppose the
plan of Government TO be upset in
electing Senators by direct vote
Passing to the question of the right
Of Congress to supervise the election in
case the proposed amendment passes.
Mr.. Borah. who is a good constitutional
lawyer, took direct issue with Mr..
Sutherland Of Utah, who is much
inferior constitutional lawyer. and who
held that the right should still remain
IN Congress to supervise elections in
case any injustice was done. Mr.
Borah holds that no such right OF
supervision exists. And he has, we
think, very properly contended that
the provisos submitted by Senator
Depew and Senator Sutherland were
simply disguised efforts to defeat the
amendment, the movers of the new
dishking to come out in
the open IN manly fight against the
amendment, but undertaking to defeat
it by the indirect method of tacking
upon it obnoxious provisions.
In this same connection Mr.. Borah
put his antagonists TO rout by calling
upon them to act upon the statement
Of facts which they had made They
had made the claim that in the South.
ern States the negroes were disfran-
chised in violation Of the fifteenth
amendment. Now, said Mr.. Borah, in
" illegal, and an Infringement npon
the voting rights of the negro. If this
IS fact, and if Congress has a power
in this respect. that these opposing
Senators wish to preserve. why is it
that they do not move for interfer-
rnce in those elections7 Why do
hey moi object TO the presence in the
Senate of men unlawfully therein by
reason of the violation of the fifteenth
Either these opposing
Senator's do not believe what they
themselves say, that right now
possessed is TO be taken away from
congress. or else they do not believe
hat the Southern States are violating
he fifteenth amendment. And If it is
rue that in view of the present situa.
FOR the Congressional control of those
:, ,tions, nor a Senator to object to
he swearing in of a Senator from a
Southern State, why so strenuous on
! neglected right? If il is true that those
are there unconstitu
ionally by reason of the tramping
inder foot of the fifteenth amend |
nent, why does not Senator Suther. |
nd or Senator Dcpew, or some other
senator of that way Of thinking. object |
o the swearing in of Southern Sena-
ors who are claimed to be there in
Of the Constitution? WHY
loes not some one of them move TO
exercise the power which they assert
xists7
All this is very strong presentation
ors who are trying to defeat this
mendment by reason of the appeal in
'chalf of the negro. make that ap-
zeal, not as a matter Of conscience
n of right but simply to disguise
heir position on a question wherein
hey do not dare to take their stand
n the open. The cry in behalf of
he negro is fruitless. hollow cry, un.
ess 1T is proposed to do something by
way of protecting the negro in his
lights And it is surely incumbent
Ipon those who raise this cry TO make
,ood their pretense by coming to the
ront and undertaking to protect the
Iegro, to enforce his rights, and to vim
licate the fifteenth amendment, which
hey profess so much to love, instead
# resting their case on empty words
The Idaho Senator denied the exist.
nee of the power that is claimed by
hose Senators, who make the pretense
hat they wish still 10 preserve it.
'he election of the Senators is mat,