The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1911-03-02
MEET DEFEAT
SsEate Resolution for Direct Election Of
Senators Fails.
VOTE WAS VERY CLOSE

The Proposed Amendment to the
Federal Constitution Providing for
the Election of Senators by the
People Falls Four Votes Short Of
the Necessary Two-thirds.
The United States Tuesday defeat
ed the resolution proposing an
amendment to the Constitution so
as to provide that Senators be elect
ed by direct vote of the people. A
brave fight had been made by the
supporters Of the measure, as was
indicated by the vote. Fifty-four
Senators stood for the resolution and
thirty-three against it,.
Though this division showed so
large majority of the Senate TO
favor popular elections, yet the mum
Der was not sufficient. by four, TO
carry the measure, which required
two-thirds vote for its passage.
Immediately after the reading of
the Journal the popular election res
olution was taken up under unani-.
nous consent, granted last week.
So long had the resolution been
before the Senate, and so carefully
had the membership, been canvassed
by it's supporters and its opponents,
that it was recognized from the mo-
ment the question was brought up
that it would go down in defeat.
Nevertheless, there was a large at
tendance on the floor.
Though it had been understood
that debate would be shut off on the
measure when called up, Senator Ba-
con, who determinedly has opposed
the resolution as it. was altered un-
der the Sutherland amendment,
placing control of the elections in
the hands of Congress, yet hoped to
have an amendment adopted that
might render the measure acceptable
to some of the Southern Senator'S.
The Georgia Senator's effort WAS
to provide that the final supervision
of the elections should apply only in
those States wherein the Legisla---
lures have failed to designate the
manner and method of holding the
elections. Vice President Sherman
ruled that the Bacon amendment
was out of order and the call was
begun.
Though, as indicated, it was prac-
tically a foregone conclusion that the
resolution would fail to get a two
thirds vote, the roll-call was followed
with the deepest interest. For a mo-
ment it was thought that calculations
would be upset, for when Senator
Gallingers name was reached his
answer was aye" Looks of sur
prise were exchanged by many SEN
ators, for there is no more inTot-
crate enemy to the resolution than
the New Hampshire Senator.
The roll-call: Yeas, Bailey, Bev-
eridge, Borah, Bourne. Bradley,
Briggs, Bristow, Brown. katt,
Burton, Carter, Chamberlain, Clap7,
Clark, of Wyoming; Clark. of Arkan-
sas; Culberson, Cullom, Cummings,
Curtis, Davis, Dixon, Du Pont, Frye,
Gamble, Gore, Gronna, Guggenheim,
Jones, LaFollette, McCumber, Mar
tin, Nelson, Newlands, Nixon, Over
man, Owen, Paynter, Perkins, Piles,
Rayner, Shively, Simmons, Smith, of
Maryland; Smith, of Michigan;
Smith, of South Carolina; Stephen
son, Stone, Sutherland, Swanson,
Taylor, Thornton, Warner, Watson,
Young.
Nays: Bacon, Bankhead, Brande-
gee, Bulkeley, Burnham, Burrows,
Crane, Depew, Dick, Dillingham;,
Fletcher, Flint, Foster, Gallinger,
Hale, Hepburn, Johnston, Kean,
Long, Lorimer, Money, Oliver, Page,
Penrose,' Percy, Richardson, Root,
Scott, Smoot, Taliaferro, Tillman,
Warren, Wetmore. Yeas, "a; nays,
80. Total 81.
There were four ahsentees, Sena-
tors Aldrich, Frazier. Crawford and
Terrell. Had they been present, Mr..
Terrell, it was announced, would
have voted against the resolution and
Mr.. Frazier for it. For Mr.. Aldrich,
no announcement was made. Later
Mr.. Crawford appeared on the floor
and explained that he had oversight
and then made the additional an
nouncement of a street car delay.
His vote, he said, would have bacn
AYE"
Senator Borah, who has led the
advocates of popular elections,
though disappointed in the result,
was not discouraged. On the con-
trary, he felt that the vote plainly
indicated the growing popularity Of
the measure. The Senator said:
"While | would like much to have
had four more votes, yet I am graft
fled with the results. When it is
demonstrated that the Senate stands
within four votes of two-thirds, it Is
certain that the real fight is not over.
"The resolution will he intro
duced again at the first session of
CONGRESS, regular or extra, and urged
unremittingly. The friends Of the
measure may rest assured that the