New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-07-05
REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT
Writer Believes Direct Election Of Sen
ators Would Defeat Its Own Ends.

To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: We propose to give the people OF
the several states direct suffrage for
United States Senators on the ground that
the people Of the several states have mis-
used their direct suffrage for the members
If the state legislatures. An attempt 10
reform abuses by drastic action is always
more popular than an attempt to reform
them by elementary action. Saving the
pennies Of direct suffrage for the members
of the state legislatures is more dlfhcui'
and laborlous than dealing at first hama
with the dollars Of direct suffrage for
United States Senator's.
The debates In the Constitutional Con-
ventlon Indicate clearly that when the
methods Of election Of the two houses OF
Congress were being framed conditions
analogous 10 those now In existence
(Which latter have largely supplied the
motive for the proposed amendmenD were
rot only in contemplation, but that those
portions Of the Constitution were so framed
to meet them Che vote being practically
unanimousl. The provision for the cleo
ton of United States Senator'S by the
state legislatures was an answer to the
question. "Why two Houses2'
The people OF those DAYS, 10 whom the
convention confidently intrusted the purse
strings of the Republic. had proposed the
abolition of the state Senate, although
members of the state lower house had been
convicted of Infamous crimes" a check
to popular passion was sought In a com
merciaT or wealthy" class, which the
reople had already come to regard as OPP
pressors. The state legislatures, it was
argued If properly chosen, would be more
likely than the people to give this class
proper representation at Washington. The
citizens Of the states would be rep
resented individually and collectively.
To-day. while the activities of an out
growth Of the then commercial class have
developed enormously the power, pros
perity and prestige of the United States
to the pride of every citizen thereof, the
lawlessness Of certain members Of this
modern kind of commercial citizen has be-
come intolerable. And yet, does any ra-
tional man deny that "bg business that
the interests" # law abiding, are entitled
to proper representation In tho national
government?
II may 10 easier to disfranchise the
whole class Of swollen corporations than,
through our national police power, to bring
the offending members TO book; but it
would not be just and would certainly be
impoltic. If q moro extreme example of
the want Of virtue Of unsuarded) direct
suffrage be sought than the case of cleo
ton for Governor I'm many states, where
the Governor-elect is under obligations
primarily to a party boss, it may be found
I'm the nonentity Of the individual stock
holder in the management Of some Of our
swollen corporation fricnds-a management
which curiously enough has been lauded
as representative government by advocates
Of the corporations and as popular govern
ment by progressives, but which appar-
emily is neither. Cannot the increased fit
rcss Of the people 10 govern, from educa-
ton and the facilities of modern civiliza-
ton, find sufficient outlet in cleansing I'm
the municipalities and states the springs
Of the electorate and in maintaining the
efficiency Of the police power against both
crooked politics and corrupt big business;
hut especially against unlawful business
which. through its control of the medium
II exchange, directs all interstate com
merce?
EN1LEN HARE MILLER.