Franklin's paper the statesman., 1911-04-22
Danger In Scheme to Elect Sen
ators by Direct Vote Of People.
PRESENT Law SHOULD REMAIN
Should the Defeated Measure Ever
Come Up Again In the House It Will
Be the Duty Of Colored Americans TO
Register Their Unqualified Protest
Against Its Passage.
By JOHN E. BRUCE.


The proposed amendment to the
OF United States senators by direct
vote of the people was beaten to
frazzle'' In the closing hours of the
late congress. But the fight for this
dangerous measure has not been
abandoned. 1t is therefore incumbent
upon Negroes throughout the entire
country to be on the alert and to
register their protests by letter and by
personal interviews with representa-
tves in both branches of congress
whenever this resolution Is reintro-
duced. as it certainly will be-
Should it prevail the colored man.
not the white man. will be the prin-
cipal sufferer. for II is aimed directly
at the former In the southern states.
and its purpose is to minimize his in
fuence as a political integer and ulti-
mately to eliminate him from the
political equation. The word people"
in the eleven southern states means
white people.
The election of United States sena-
tors from that section by direct vote
stood that any considerable part of
the black people who constitute the
real majority in those states win
either be comprehended or counted at
such elections.
The constitution OF the United States
speaks in language clear enough on
this subject. for II specifically pre-
scribes how senators shall be chosen
and makes II plain that II such cleo
ton of senators is not In conformity
with the provisions of the federal con-
stitution congress may at any time
by law make or alter such regulations
except as to the place of choosing
senator's" But the manner of holding
such election Ia written in the consti-
tuition. and no other way can be sub
stifuted therefor until the repeal OF
THAI section OF article bearing upon
the times. places and manner OF hold
ing elections for senators and repre-
sentntives in congress.
1t In not in the power Of one out OF
ten. or OF 100. or Of all the citizens Of
a state TO annul an act OF congress.
because the constitution of the United
States and an act in pursuance of II
is n supreme law of that state and
binding upon every citizen of that
state, and every citizen must act at
his peril The federal constitution
therefore Is the supreme law of this
land. The thirteenth. fourteenth and
fifteenth amendments are equally su-
prcmc. because they have been legally
Incorporated into the body OF II and
must either be enforced or repealed.
Hence there can be no election OF Unit
cd States senators by direct vote of the
people until the people repudiate the
present law by which United States
senators for over hundred years
have been chosen. l for one do not
believe that the people are ready to
repeal any part of the present constitu-
ton. and so have no serious appre-
tensions with respect TO this iatcset
scheme to delegate to the people
power which they wisely delegated to
their political leaders when the const-
tuition was ratified and adopted. At
the same time we should not forget
that eternal vigilance is the price OF
liberty md from this time forth
should keep tabs on legislation at
Washington and on senators and con-
gressmen.