The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-02-28
Maryland Statesman Declares
"the Day Of Tyranny Is Over
in This "cpublic." "
PEOPLE WANT THE CHANGE
Time of Reckoning and Accounta-
bility Will Come if Resolu-
ton Is Beaten.

WASHINGTON. Feb. 27.-Several
speeches were made in the senate today
on the resolution calling for the election
OF senator's by direct vote of the peo-
pie Tomorrow the resolution will be
put to vote.
One OF the speakers was Senator Ray
ner OF Maryland, who advocated the
adoption Of the resolution despite the
Sutherland amendment voted into the
bill last Saturday. Another was Senator
Bacon Of Georgia, who. having favored
the resolution. had become perhaps Its
stoutest opponent In its altered form,
Senator Percy OF Mississippi. opposed
the measure.
II has been believed by many that the
fate OF the resolution was scaled when
the Sutherland amendment was adopted.
The hostility OF enough southern SEN
ators TO prevent tho necessary, two
thirds vote for the resolution, II was
thought, had been aroused by the amend
ment
Senator Jones of Washington. Senator
Simons OF North Carolina and Senator
Bourne OF Oregon. also were among the
speakers. all being In favor OF the reso-
luton
Mr.. Bourne spoke Of the election and
primary system Of his state. known as
the Oregon plan, which he declared to
be real government by the people,
An amendment OF the constitution 10
vote OF the people would be The greatest
political reform accomplished by the
present generation. declared Senator
Rayner. He told the senate that he
would support the resolution providing
for such an amendment
Not Deferred by Amendment
81 am so strongly in favor OF the cleo
ton OF the senators by the people that
| cannot possibly turn the proposition
down because that II contains a clause
that might cause objection 10 the bin in
the future" he said.
I'VE will be prepared 10 meet the trou-
BILE II IL should ever come.
Nor can | by my own vote delay this
great question until the next congress
Tho vote may delay It. but / shall not
and cannot, participate in that plan. I
want to expedite IL with all my might
and strength. l have fought for this
proposition for the greater part OF my
public career and believe In II with all
my heart.
THE people want this change and they
will have IL. 1t Is not the clamor OF the
mob. it is not tho impulse OF agitation,
II Is the deliberate and matured thought
OF the American people that the change
shall come.
Day Of Tyranny Over.
The day OF tyranny is over in this
republic and the rising generation is no
longer being driven TO the polls IKE cattle
TO the shambles. but is marching in un-
broken phalanx with free ballots and bal
lots that are not for sale. They under
stand this question and demand IL shall
be submitted TO the legislatures OF the
states. They Will not tolerate the sug-
gestion that has been advanced here that
they are too ignorant To decide IT."
After further argument the Maryland
senator said that II the people have not
the intelligence. or the capacity to select
their representatives then II would be
better TO submit a constitutional amend =
mcnt 10 change the form OF government
from republic 10 a monarchy.
The senator said he was convinced he
could not prevent the consummation OF
a
tors.
I'VE may impede 1t. We may delay It..
may oostruct It," he said. but the day
of reckoning and accountability VIII
come
Two reasons were given by the senator
TO show why he would support the reso-
First, because he believed in II, and sec
ond, because he knew the people wanted
II. Either reason would be sufficient for
Senator Bacon's Objections.
Following Mr. Rayner. Senator Bacon
OF Georgia contendcd that IL was NOT
safe to adopt the elections resolution
with tho Sutherland amendment en-
grated upon Il.
Mr. Bacon said the government would
under the resolution as amended be en-
powered to say who might go upon the
voters registration lists. This. he urged.
would be dangerous power in view of
the conditions that obtain in many sec
tions OF this country.
Admitting tho south is especially in
terested In the control OF elections, now
the senator contended the time might
come when the question would be just
as acute in other sections of the coun-
try. For instance, the yellow peril"
might assert Itself In tho west In CON
nection with the exercise OF the fran
chise. Improbable as this might suem
now. Il could not be any more so t.,an
was the prospect Of negro suffrage In
1860.
Views Of Mr., Jones
Congratulating the senate on the ac-
ccptanco OF the Sutherland amendment
Senator Jones OF Washington urged the
adoption Of tho resolution, He said the
only proposition before congress was to
submit the question OF popular elcations
TO the state legislatures. which in turn
must pass on the real question.
To those legislatures must be left the
privilege Of deciding tho merits Of the
demand. he did not see how congress
could we'll refuse to give them this op
portunity. He did not believe that sena- :
tors had right 10 withstand these peti-
tlons.
To do so was TO assume tine position
OF despots. He predicted that il nor
granted now. the demand for a pSuuIar
vote would grow stronger and Stronger
until the change would come through
81 new constitutional onvcntion
Senator Simmons OF North Carolioa
supported the resolution on the ground
that the congress could not afford 10
withhold from the state legislatures tl,s
right to pass OH the question.