The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-06-17
POPULAR VOTE FOR SENATORS
UPPER HOUSE ADOPTS DIRECT
ELECTION MEASURE ALREADY
ACCEPTED BY LOWER.
shcrman's Voice, Raised For Federal
Supervision. Effects Adoption of
T.,ss section.

iution amending the constitution to
provide for election Of senator's by
direct popular vote.
The Bristow amendment giving to
the federal government supervision Of
such elections was adopted "A to a..
the vice president casting the de-
Gliding ballot The house already has
passed the resolution.
senator Recd Of Missouri protested
against the vioe president casting his
dec.dtug vote An amendment by
senator Bacon qualifying the Brist ow
amendment TO prohibit federal super
vision OF elections unless the State
legislature refused or failed to act
was defeated 46 to 43. The resolution
as amended was then finally adopted
So TO "a.
The debate On the resolution look
ing TO the direct election of Urited
states senator's by direct vote Of the
people began shortly after noon. 1t
soon drifted into a political affair.
Democratic senator's criticised Senat ,r
Bristows change of attitude. Mr..
Bristow framed the principal amend
ment. In the nature OF a substitute to
the main proposition. and he sought
TO continue the supervision of sena-
torial elections In congress instead Of
delegating IL to States as proposed
by the house resolution. In the last
session the Kansas senator voted
against an amendment offered by Sem
ator Sutherland Of Utah which would
have had the same effect as his own
provision OF this session. Mr.. Bristow
said that I'm both instances his atti-
tnde had been decided by his desire to
do that which most certainly would
Insure the success of the popular cleo
tion resolution. Mr.. Borah, In charge
OF the resolution. spoke in support
OF Il. and Mr.. Bacon opposed the
Bristow amendment.
Mr.. Stone Of Missouri arraigned Mr..
Bristow as "snatching the amend
ment'' from Mr.. Sutherland. Mr..
Bristow said he first believed the
measure would be stronger without
the provision and now believed 1t
would be stronger with II.
Mr.. Davis OF Arkansas arraigned
Mr.. Bristow. Referring by name TO
Senator Cummins, Clapps and La Fol-
etc. he declared "the insurgent crowd
never had been sincere on any sub
Ject they have borught before the
country"
The chair called Mr.. Davis to order
Mr.. Cummins denied Mr.. Davis
statement OF an alleged instance as
untrue.
Mr.. Bristow refuted the charge,
saying that only under great provoca-
ton would he pay any attention to
what the senator from Arkansas
said"
Mr.. Beach aroused feeling by de-
claring that great interests had been
bringing enormous pressure to bear
to defeat the measure. Senator'S
Works. Guggenheim and Cummins
arose to refute the allegation. Mr..
Bacon explained that he was imput-
ing no improperly to any member.
The direction of the progressive
was scored by Senator Reed of Mis-
souri. who declared the conversion of
Mr.. Bristow to Senator Sutherland's
viewpoint was because of the negro
vote In Kansas.
Adoption Of the Bristow amend
ment which omitted the house pro-
vision transferring supervision IF SEN
atorial election from congress to the
State Legislature was made possible
by MIR. Clark Of Arkansas casting the
only Democratic vote for the prop osi-
ton. The tie on that ballot would
have been prevented II the vote had
been cast with his party, with whom
he later voted on adoption Of the res
olution. on the resolution as amend
ed. the vote was Ga TO %. was six
more than the necessary two-thirds
majority. or tho "a negative votes.
eight were cast by Democrats and 16
By Republicans. The resolution as
amended and passed follows:
THAT In lieu Of the first paragraph
Of section OF article 1 of the con-
stitution OF the United states and i'm
lieu Of so much OF paragraph two of
the same section as relates to the hl-
Ing Of vacancies. the following lee
proposed as an amendment 10 tho
constitution which shall he valid To
all intents and purposes as part of
the constitution whom ratified l,. ,b,