Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1911-02-11
POPULAR ELECTIONS ARE
FAVORED BY STATES
Want Senators Elected That
Way

Washington, Feb. 10.-An analysis of
1.-THE situation in the Senate in refer
fence to the pending resolution pro
posing an ameGdement to the Consti-
tuition to provide for the direct election
of United States Senators forces the
conclusion that unless Senators vote
in direct contradiction to the known
sentiment Of the people Of their re.
spectiye states and in opposition to
the definitely expressed will of the leg
islatures Of these states the necessary
two-thiIds vote to secure its passage
will be obtained
There are 80 Senators, representing
46 states A two-thirds majority IN
the Senate is 81 votes Thirty-two
states, represented by 81 Senator's,
have gone on record in favor of this
reform, demanding its adoption It
seems clear, therefore, that unless
some of the 81 Senators from these 80
states either vote in opposition to the
demand of their legislatures or dodge
the vote altogether the resolution will
pass at this session.
Final Yote Early Next Week.
Senator Borah, of Idho, whose ag-
gressiye and earnest championship Of
the measure has resulted in overcom-
ing what seemed to be insuperable OBJ
stacles and placing it far in advance
of the position where reactionary Sen
ators had hoped to check it, is entirely
confident of his ability to force the fin
al issue the first of next week. He
thinks the vote for or against the adop-
ton Of the resolution will come either
Monday or Tuesday, and that it can
not be STAYED off longer than that.
Heretofore the advocates of the di-
rect election have found themselves
baked by an impregnable stone wall
of opposition in the Senate, strong and
unyielding enough to prevent even a
vote on the measure. The situation IS
isuch today, due to the fight made by
such men as Borah, of Idaho I4aFol-
lette, of Wisconsin; Rayner, Of Mary
land; Beyeridga, of Indiana, and 9TH
ers. Democrats and Republicans, that
should it fail of two-thirds majority
this time its swift and certain passage
early in the next session is assured, a
sufficient number of reactionary Re-
publican Senators yielding their seats
to progressive Democrats to make this
certain. The death of the resolution
this time can only be caused by the
votes Of Senators whose states have
gone on record as favoring the reform.
Nany Senators Against 1t.
If the Senate We're responsive to the
will Of the people the pending resolu-
ton would be assured of the support
of the necessary tWo-thirds majority.
Unfortunately this is not the case, and
it is certain that a number of Senator'S
will cast their ballots against the
measure demanded by their states.
UGH men as Penrose and Oliver, Of
Pennsylvania; Hepburn, of Idaho; Car
ter, of Montana, and others are violent
ly opposed to it, some Of them OPENLY.
some of them coyetly. Some will hate
ito go on record as defying the will Of
the people in their states knowing they
risk their political lives in doing 50.
but the certainty that if the amend
ment becomes part of the organic law
and they are compelled to ask re-elec-
ton directly from the voters, they
stand no chance at all of holding on 20
their seats in the Senate, makes them
willing to take the risk. 1t is this con-
dition that detracts from the voting
strength the resolution should have
and to which it is entitled by the ac-
ton Of 30 states.
20 States called for Convention.
Of the 80 states that have demanded
this resolution by action OF their l3gis-
latures, 20 of them incorporated de-
mand for a constitutional convention.
There are two ways of securing the
submission Of amendments to the Con-
stitution of the United States. Goa
gress may formulate and submit am
endments on its own motion to the sew
eral states for their ratification, or if|
two-thirds of the states, through the
legislatures, call upon Congress to
convene a constitutional convention, It
| is mandatory upon Congress to call
such a convention. Two-thirds of III
the states in the Union would be 81.
Thirty-two have gone on record as
favorable to the resolution and 20 have
demanded a convention. These 20 are:
Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Mime
sofa Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Arkan-
sas, Texas, Tennessee, Kentucky, CAL
ifornia. oregon, Nevada, Colorado,
Montana, Washington, Idaho, Utah and
Oklahoma. 1t would be exceedingly
easy to get II of the others to join IN
the call, which Congress would have 10
obey
The certainty of the passage of the
resolution either at this session or att
the next, however, causes its advocates