The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1911-07-14
SENATE IS
IMPROVING
SAYS WRITER
Infusion Of New Blood Has
!. Elevated The TOne ui1 The \
f6s. tis ffgh8 va
Upper House
Special 10 nafln Leader

Special TO Dali Leader
| Washington, d. c., July 14.--Ine
| senate of the United states Is often
declared by political writer's to ht
a oecadent body and in some local
| lries throughout the nation the pub
| lie holds to the opinion that In stand
point of ability this great legislative
body is nothing like what II has
been in the past.
That the senate has undergone
wonderful Improvement in its person.
mel during the past few years is a
subject of general favorable com
n. ent in Washington, and there are
many who will tell you that the sen
ate of today Is richer In ability than
at any time in all its history.
With the advance popular elecs
tions and the growth Of the primary
system, the improvements in the
membership of the senate has been
truly, remarkable. Under present
day conditions candidates for the sen
ate are Of a higher order OF ability
than sornieriy There are exceptions
to the rule. as in everything else
For instance, take into consider
alton the millionaire class, which
a few years ago threatened to gain
control of the upper branch OF con
gress There Is no disputing the fact
that the advance OF popular elections
has made it more difficult for the
vastly rich to maintain a political ex-
istence A. number Of millionaires
with greater wealth than knowledge
~ 10 f..n ~ rf mon ~ a
ability to legislate, have recently
reached the senate, but they were
outnumbered by retiring money bak
senators in the ratio of three to one.
This element. which looks upon
the senate as sort of club, and
contributes practically nothing to the
study and solution of public ques-
tions, will be practically negligible
in number when the resolution pro
viding for the election of senaors by
popular vote is ratified by three
fourths of the states and made
part Of the constitution Of the United
States. s@lss tfe
Elected BY Money.
There are half a dozen members -
the senate today, and possibly more,
would not have been considered for
election, save for their abundant sup
ply of money, and a disposition to |
spend it freely. There is no ceiling |
what Senator Guggenheim Of Colo |
ado, expended pror to his election |
is senator. while the legislature ol /
has passed resolution
;alling upon the senate of the United
states to investigate the election q
Senator IKE Stephenson as a mem
er of that body.
The senator Is on record as havl |
ng expended s1S5,0O0 in his candid
acy for the senate, The investmentll
vas trilling one for SenatorI
Tephenson, who is estimated to be
tOrth@ $35,000,000 He Is not only
ie Richest but the Oldest member
the senate. There are many other
anatorst among this rapidly decay
lg set, who hold their official posi-
on by reason of their great wealth.
The machiuery that the American
eople are constructing to prevent
he purchase of senatorial seat by
Ie expenditure of large campaign
Inds, and to insure the election to
le senate of men who have the con
1ence OF the voters, mas itS draw
icks. It has placed in the senate
,me few men, who are not OF SEN
orial calibre. and who were not de
,rving of the honor. But no law
perfection.
The most flagrant instance of the
ifect fof this popular election ma
Iinery is afforded by Arkansas.
here the irrepressible Jeff Davis
as the choice Of the peopl. and az
riding to Arkansans in Washington
assured Of reelection for another
rin next year. But where a jeff
avis creeps into the snetae as the
suit oftthe primary system. a haiti
ven equally as undesirable are
warted in their senatorial ambi-
ms.
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WIZARD OF FINANCE