New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-01-24
LNnEEEAHIETE

There seems 10 be 2 good deal Of mis-
understanding as 10 what the Constitu-
tional amendment now pending in tho
United states Senate providing for the
ponular election of Senators attempts ~
do. Under the guise ~ simply trans
ferring the right 10 elect Senators from
the legislatures 10 the people IT really
seeks 10 nullify the control which the
Constitution now allows the federal
government 10 exercise over tho election
of Senators. II aims at an amendment
of the Constitution ut two points instead
of one. and though leaving the power If
Congress 10 regulate elections for Repre-
SentativeS untouched II surrenders Su-
pcrvisory control of elections for Sena-
tors. while Inconsistency proposing that
Senators and Representatives he chosen
hereafter on exactly the same basis.
Our noighbor "Thc World confused
the situation completely when it said
yesterday:
Senator Sutherland proposes that In
amending the United States Constitution
so as to provide for the election of
United states Senators by vote of the
people, the power to control the time
and manner Of the elections shall be
taken from the state legislatures ana
reserved to Congress. This is equlVa-
lent to threat to revive the force Dill
a discarded issue and subject the states
i'm their local elections to federal super
vision. The proposal at this date IS 50
far fetched as to sound insincere.
The fact is that Senator Sutherland :
amendment does not provide for taking
the power to control the time and man
per of the elections from the state legiS-
latures and reServing it TO Congress. 1t
merely aims at preserving the present
constitutional status quo while the reso-
luton reported 10y the Sen tc judiciary
Committee aims at upSctting that status
and ccding a prcrogatiyc now lodged IN
Congress to the states. Section !, Arti-
Gle |, of the Constitution says:
The times. places and manner of hold
ing elections for Senators and Repre-
tatives shall he prescribed i'm each state
bv the Legislature thereof; but Inc
Congress may at any time by law make
or alter such regulations. except as To
tho places of choosing Senators.
The amendment before the Senate
modifes Section I 10y dropping out all
after the words "hy the legislatures
thereof" 1t thus seeks to free the states
from the supervision exercised by Con-
gross. and that is probably what most
commcnds il TO n large number OF us
supporters.
Elections Of Senators are now con
Quoted under the provisions OF iederdi
staute. There has been no complaint oi
the opprcsSivencss of that statue
Elections of Representatives will con
tinue 10 bc held under federal super
vision. What good reason is there, there
fore. for drawing distinctions in the
pondine amendment between tho House
and the Senate? The oStenSihl" purpose
of the amendment is 10 put holh Soma
TORS and Representative on the same
footing making them both owe their
seats to a popular electorate. senator's
would merely become Representatives on
larger scale If there is any virtue IN
the constitutional provision giving Ton
gress regulatiye power there would he
even more virtue in it after Senate cleo
lions had become Topularized. In its
present form the amendment proposed
by the Judiciary Committee Is indefenSl-
bic It should not hc submitted. and wa
believe its chances Of submission will
vanish as soon a. its purpose Is thor
oughly understood