The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-02-11
SENATOR ROOT IS AGITATED OVER
 POPULAR VOTE
Intense Interest Is Aroused By Speech Made in
 the Senate
IS ADVOCATE OF
 FEDERAL CONTROL.
Attack Upon the South Is Bitterly Resented By Southern Sena- tors Who Take Issue
 With New Yorker

Washington. February 10.--Through the injection of the race question into the hitherto comparatively commonplace dis oussioh in the Senate of the resolution providing for the election of senators by direct vote. Senator Root of New York and Senator Bacon of Georgia today lifted that controversy to plane of almost sensational interest. The incident arose in connection with extended remarks made by Senator Root in opposition to the Be- rah resolution. The New York senator said the national government could not afford to barter away the privilege of supervising senatorial elections In the south, if need should arise for such su- pervision.
 Also in speaking of the observance of the fourteenth and fifteenth amendments to the constitution he said that from time to time things happened" in the southern states which should not be per- mitted by the states and which should be corrected if not by the states them selves then by International government. Later, he took occasion to emphasize this statement
 
 visible stir on the democratic side of the chamber. and the feeling was inten- sifed by the repetition. It at once be- came manifest that if anything was lack ing to insure opposition by the southern senators to the resolution, it had been supplied by MT. Root
 Senator Borah, who has charge of the measure. charged that the race question had been drawn into the case for the purpose of alternating the minority. Senator Roots Speech
 Mir Root at the outset took positive po- sition against both propositions contained in the resolution. He would not have senators 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 iegis- latures. For us to abandon Jurisdiction over senatorial elections would be equiv aient, he said, to the governments sur rendering its power to maintain itself. r Mir Root found in the Mann proposition that of changing the method of electing senators an effort to evade responsibility | in the matter of government Declar- | ing that the principal reason given for the change to be the corruption of state leg l islatures in the interest of senatorial candidates, he said a more fundamental 'hdHSe suoulu De Hdue than IS proposed. lie would go to the root of the trouble by so purifying politics as to obtain bet ter material Tn the legislatures. If tine people would look properly to the selection of the legislative candidates he was sure there would be comparatively little complaint concerning the elections of senators by legislative action, as he was sure that in that event the demand for direct election would gradually disap- pear
 Caution in Amending The New York senator advised great caution in amending the constitution. He did not think 1t well that the habit should be contracted.
 Reverence for that great instru- ment, the unwillingness to change it. the sentiment that has gathered around 1t, constitute the stability of the peo- pie who inhabit this great nation," he said.
 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 has been fought to settle the most vital prob lems and to make a change, bringing about new relations. should not be lightly under taken. Admitting the expression of pop- ular wish for popular senatorial elec- tions. MT. Root rontended that tba feeling is a mere assent-not vio- lent 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 defects In the plan of electing senators by the state legislatures said the sen ator They were tired and impatient over delays
 Suggested Amendment The senator suggested that the amendment should be changed to read. | Whereas, the people of the several states have proved incompetent to se lect honest and faithful Legislatures ir their own states: Resolved. That the constitution ba so amended as to relieve the peopla from the consequences of their inter dependence by taking from the state legislatures the power to choose sem ators and vesting that power in the same incompetent hands." The agitation in the present ease was traced by the speaker to the pop- ular distrust in representative govern mcnt.
 strangely this movement comes at time when the development of inc country makes 1t more and more nec essary that we should depend upon rep- resentative government" he said "The initiative. the referendum. the demand for popular elections are expressions of q weakness of democracies" Admitting this to be a period of re- adjustment In the union. Mir Root said many experiments would be the result of this crnditi ion
 He gave 1t as his dNiberate judr ment that the Senate has performed It's duty loyalty. faithfully and com pletely, and has supplied to the history of the country line of illustrious men and record of achievement which fur nishes the most convincing proof that the world ever has had that popular government is possibility among men.i
 The speaker sympathized with the southern people in the solution of the problem of the race conflict but wat not willing to sacrifice the right of the federal government to interfere anywhere if such interference should become necessary. Some things are done in parts ot the sonth." said Mir. Root, "th at the states ought not to permit and If they do permit them the country must not, the minute they touch the constiu- tion."
 He admitted that the north had made mistakes in regard to the race problem In the southern states. Quoting Senator