New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-04-15
pairing plans of their own 10 give tue
country a central bank OF some sort
EALNE PRETENCES.

Tho Uouse of Representatives has re
pcatedly gone on record as fayoring the
election Of United States senators ny
ponu,ar vote. In four previous Con-
crosses it passed resolutions submitting
70 the states direct election amend
ment TO the federal Constitution. IL
was the consistent friend of the popular
method Of choice when that method haf
few friends at the other end of the Capt.
fol Ru; now that the direct election
programme has developed unexpected
strength In the Senate--a straight-out
nonular choice amendment having failed
there six weeks ago by only four votes
the House Of Representatives would
seem 70 have allowed its enthusiasm to
coo, off. having decided to subordinate
its interest in the direct election of Sena-
tors 10 its interest in abridging the right
of the federal government 10 supervise
the processes by which members Of Con-
gress are chosen. The action 1t took on
Thursday. instead Of promoting the rati-
ficatiop Of n direct election amendment
NAV operate effectively to defeat ratin'
cation-a result which the majority In
the House OF Representatives must be
presumed 10 have had more or less
clearly in mind
The constitutional amendment sub
mitted In the resolution which the House
passed Is tricky drawn and dishonesty
labelled Its purpose is not so much TO
transfer power TO elect Senators from
the legislatures to the voters--for that
purpose has already been accomplished
in half the states and can be accom-
plished in all without the assistance OF
federal legisation--as it is TO repeal the
necessary grant made 10 the national
government of authority TO protect itself
against fraud, violence or corruption IN
the methods by which its legislative off,
GERS are selected. The false pretence or
the Borah amendment, as originally sub
mtted 10 the Senate last winter, was
fully exposed In the extended debate
in that body, It's supporters were
finally forced 10 admit that they had
two entirely different ends In view,
although they were protesting to have
only one, and when by vote OF the
Senate the amendment was limited
IN operation 10 its ostensible effect Of
merely substituting popular elections for
elections by the legislatures about a
dozen Of its former advocats inconti-
nently abandoned it. They demonstrated
| by their votes on the final rollcall that
what they wanted 70 do was to annul
the federal governments essential right
to pass on regulations for the election of
| Senators made by the states. If they
could not secure that object they didn't
care in the least whether Senate cleo
| tons were popularized or not.
! There is fortunately little prospect
that the amendment as adopted by the
! House can secure two-thirds vote in
/ the Senate In the simplitied, legitimate
! form in which ii was voted upon on Feb
ruary % last it would probably pass at
/ this session. But the Republican major
/ ity in the upper branch has already
shown what it thinks of the covert at
tack which the original supporters Of the
amendment purposed making Oh the fed
eral authority. That attack is Just rs
unwarranted now as it was then, and ii
is unreasonable to think that the Senate
will concur in the devious and ill-cOnsid
cred action Of the House. If the House
wants to see the direct method adopted
it will probably have 10 abandon Its
policy Of pretence and indirection.