Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-02-07
SENATOR LODGE is ALARMED
Bay State Man Sees Danger in Direct
Elections.
SAYS NATION SHOULD CONTROL
Proposed Plan, he Thinks, Would
Take the Government BACK to
Turmoil Of Time OF the
Confederation.


WASHINGTON, Feb. s.-Resstsnce 10
the uttermost to the attempts TO transfer
from congress to the various state legls-
latures the controi of the time and man
ner Of election OF United states senators,
as proposed by the resolution providing
for their election ~ direct vote of the
people was advised by Senator Lodge Of
Massachusetts. in a speech in the senate
today.
Mr.. Lodge was speaking in opposition
to the proposed new amendment to the
constitution as whole, but he found an
especial mark in the portion placing the
direct management of the detail Of SEN
atorial elections in the various state legis-
latures.
Declaring that the proposed change in
that respect strikes at the very founda-
ton OF the national government" Mr.,
Lodge said that the plan violates the plans
Of the trainers Of the constitution.
! 1T is now proposed" continued Mr..
Lodge, Ito put the United States govern
ment' so far as the election Of senators is
concerned, at the mercy Of the states 1t
Is proposed to take from the United states
any right to protect its own citizens in the
exercise Of their rights, no matter how
great the need might be for such protec
ton. II this amendment should become a
law twenty-three states, including per-
haps only a minority of the population
could at any moment arrest the movement
OF the government and stop all its opera
tions.
Refrigeration and Reaction.
The senator denounced as a "mockeryy''
the 'pretense" that the proposed legisla-
tion is progression. Not only was It a
mockery, but it was "retogression and re-
action of an extreme kind" IF adopted"
he went on, lit would carry out the govern
ment back to the controversies and strug-
giles out which the constitution was born
and which beset and endangered the in
fancy of the United States"
Enlarging upon the danger Of the pro-
posed change, Mr. Lodge said: self pre-
servation is the first law of governments
as It is Of nature, and It seems to me
that no matter how we may decide the
question of methods by which senators
should be elected, the reservation of the
power of the United States to CONTROL
those elections II need be, is essential to
the governments safe and continued ex-
istence. Any attempt Of this sort to down
or weaken the authority of the United
States ought to be resisted to the last.
II Is amazing that it should be suggested
at time like this, when the government
Of the United States is Of necessity taking
!
manded by the conditions of the time: at
a moment when the national government
requires all its strength. And yet it is
proposed here to weaken It, to take from
1t the one power which this time Of stress
that such a proposition as this would be
accepted by congress. l cannot believe
that the country would tolerate it IL It
were once understood. Too much would
have to be sacrificed to preserve the union
and to preserve the national government
to permit any tampering with those clauses
which guard its very life"
New Prophets Criticized.
The senator reiterated his opposition TO
the election OF senators by the people and
contended for the maintenance of the con-
stitution in it's integrity. ut has" he
said, shown itself capable of adaptation
to the new demands, as it has adapted
itself to these past and have hoped and
believed that the new policies and the
necessity reforms which the people desire
! could all be brought about, as they have
hiterto been accomplished under the con-
stitution. But new prophets have arisen
which are not content with the reforms
which have been and which will be ef-
fected by law, and they demand that the
constitution shall be changed. Its success
in the past which has challenged the ad-
miration of the world, is not to be con-
sidered as any plea in its behalf"
That there is a menace OF the control
! OF the state legislature by corrupt means
Mr.. Lodge denied. Amy danger Of the
moneyed interests getting partial control
of the government or acquiring undue
political influence has been brought to
an end in the last ten years" he said
Just now the financial business. and
corporate interests of the country seem
far more concerned In trying to find out
whether they are to be allowed to live
and breathe than in seeking to control
anybody in politics or out of politics"
incidentally the speaker paid his respects
to the portion Of the Arizona constitution
providing for the recall OF judges" which
he pronounced a fragrant interference with
the liberty Of the bench. His pronounce
ment on this subject indicated an inten-
, ton to oppose the acceptance of the docu-
, ment by congress.
Closing his address with an appeal for
; the preservation OF the constitution. Mr..
Lodge said:
I'VE shall do well to hesitate before wa
mar constitution crowned by the trI-
umphs Of century and to which the sad
word failure" Is still a stranger"
{ APPEALS IN BEHALF OF BILL