Arizona republican., 1911-03-01
PHOENIX. ARIz. MARCH l. 1911
No Popular Election of Senators.


 The resolution providing for sub mission to the legislatures of the sev- eral states an amendment to the fed eral constitution providing for the popular election of United States senators was defeated in the senate yesterday by a marrow margin
 The resolution required a majority Of two thirds. and it failed only by four votes.
 The failure of the resolution be- came a practical certainty when the senate, few days ago. adopted an amendment to the resolution and thereby provided for federal control Of the proposed popular elections
 Senator Root, the new leader of the republican side. made it clear some weeks ago that the ma jority party would not consent to the proposed amendment unless it carried pro vision for federal supervision of the senatorial elections. This injected the race question into the debate South eTm senators. of course, would not agree to set aside the restrictions which their states have thrown around the ballot for colored citizens. They are not very anxious, anyhow. for change in the present method of eiecting senators-the movement for the proposed amendment comes largely from the west-and they were not willing 10 permit the colored citizens of the south to participate without restriction in senatorial cleo lions The amendment secured by Senator Root would not only have -.ven the colored citiz- of the south an equal voice in the election of sen- ators. but inevitably would have opened a wide door for notification of the various oppressive laws of the south by the supreme court of the United States.
 Spokesmen for the republican party in the senate made it plain that they had no wish to interfere with the election machinery of the south so far as it applies to the election of state and local officers and to mem bers of the lower house of congress. II was freely conceded that the south has grave problems to work out. and that it is much wiser to leave that section unmOlested. But the pro- posed amendment to the federal con stitution as it was originally reported put it squarely up to the senate to say whether it sanctioned the uncon- stitutional suppression of the negro vote by the southern states. The senate declined to take the responsi- biiity of placing in the constitution an amendment which in effect would contradict the other amendments which went into the constitution fo. the purpose of protecting the colored people in their civil rights.
 IT the southern senators had agreed to federal supervision. the popular election of senators would have car ried yesterday, no doubt. Nobody will blame them for standing by principle which they consider vita: to the south.
 The advocates of the election of senators by the people will doubtless renew their efforts to secure the passage of the necessary resolution in the next congress But until it becomes possible to muster in both houses a tHo-thirds majority in favor of an amendment which will leave the southern states as unhampered as they are now in the control of their elections, the popular election of senators will not prevail.
 Meanwhile. it is we'll to remember that many states of the west have already learned how to elect senators by popular vote. without having re- course to an amendment to the fed eral constitution. By the action of conventions in placing senatorial can didates before the people for a straw vote. and by primary elec- tions-both methods being morally binding upon members of the legisla- ture-many states are now obtaining a popular expression.