Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-10
Calls Direct Elections Attempt
at Evasion.
ANOTHER PLAN
Favors More Care in Choosing Mem
bers of Legislatures.
REVERENCE FOR CONSTITUTION
Senator From New York Advises
Exercise of Great Caution in
Making Amendments.

Opposing all suggestion looking to a
change in the manner of electing United
States senator's, Mr.. Root of New York
today addressed the Senate on the reso-
luton providing for election by direct
vote OF the people
MI. Root commanded the close atten-
ton OF a large attendance, both on the
moor and in the galleries. At the outset
he took positive position against both
the propositions contained in the resolu-
ton. He would not have senator's elected
by direct vote, nor, if they were to be so
elected. would he have the control of
such elections transferred from Congress
to the various state legislatures. For
Congress to abandon jurisdiction over
senatorial elections would be equivalent
he said, to the government surrender
ing its power to maintain itself.
Suggests Remedy.
Mr.. Root found in the main proposi-
ton, that of changing the method of elect
ing senators, an effort to evade RESPONSE
bility in the matter of government De-
clarinG that the principal reason given
for the change to be the corruption of
state legislatures in the interest OF sena-
tor1aI candidates, he said that a more
fundamental change should be made than
is proposed He would go to the root
or the trouble by SO purifying politics
latureS.
II the people would look properly to
the selection of legislative Candidates he
was sure that there would BE- compare
lively little complaint concerning the cleo
ton of Senator's by legislative action and
tatfon for direct election would gradually
disappear.
Mr.. Root said that as the constitutional
requirement now stands it commands the
state legislatures to fix time and place
for, and to regulate the manner of, sena-
torial elections. II the requirement should
be abandoned the legislatures would be
under no compulsion to act.
Against Amendment Habit.
The New York senator advised great
caution in amending the constitution He
did not think it well that the habit should
be contracted.
Reverence for that great instrument,
the unwillingness to change it. the senti-
ment that has gathered around it, con-
stitute the stability of the people who in
habit this great nation he said
No change In the Constitution should
be permitted to cast doubt on it's per-
manence. except for the most weighty
reasons. Especially desirable was it, he
said. that few changes should be made in
the relations between the states and the
national government. In such cases the
burden was doubled. A war had been
fought to settle the most vital of these
problems. and to make change bringing
about new relations should not be lightly
undertaken. No one could foresee the
changes that any amendment might pro-
duce
Admitting the expression of a popular
wish Tor popular senatorial elections, Mr.
Root commended that the feeling is a mere
assent-nOt a violent desire Naturally
he thought, the electorate would accept
any extension of the franchise The evil
however which the people wished TO see
cured was the defect in the plan Of elect
ing senators by the state legislatures
patient over such delays as that now
being manifested by the Montana legisla-
ture TO return Senator Carter. These
troubles We're due to the statute and not
to the constitution. A far-reaching remedy
could be found in permitting the election
of senators by plurality vote
Corruption Not the Rule.
Admitting that occasionally senators
are chosen as the result of forbidden and
abhorrent influences, Mr. Root declared
that such results were not the rule. Even
if legislatures are sometimes improperly
he held that the system should
be reformed rather than abandoned:
there should be an Improvement in the
composing the legislatures of the
states.
The senator suggested that the amend
ment should be changed to read:
whereas the people of the several
states have been proved incompetent to
select honest and faithful legislatures i'm
their own states. resolved, that the Con-
be amended as to relieve
the people from the consequences of
their own interdependence by taking
from the state legislatures the power
to choose senators and vesting the pow
er in the same incompetent hands,