The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1911-05-19
POPULAR ELECTION
NOW ASSURED,
Senate Will Follow the
Houses Lead and Pass
the Measure
~ JAMES 4. BDcBRToN.

Will put another crlmp In Uncle JOG
Cannon and give 1.-The interests
case Of the collywabbles. For twenty
years we have been trying to put this
thing over, but the senate itself got
across tho track. IL IL a striking CO.
Incidence that we are adopting the re-
form at the very time the English are
doing things to the house Of lords,
after which tho senate was modelled.
Some Of US thought we had won this
victory at the last session, but we were
Just four votes too previous. Now a
large bunch OF statesmen from the red
sandstone period-the Hales, Aldriches,
Depews, Keans, Bulkeleys, Scots,
Dicks, Burrowses, Warmers, Carriers,
Pileses, Flints and Youngs-have de-
parted into ancient history, and bevy
of progressive Democrats and Repub-
licans have arrived in their places,
giving assurance that this time there
will be different story.
Some people seem to think thing Is
good simply because handed down
from the carboniferous age. If God
had been Of the same mind the earth
would still be inhabited by dlplodo-
cuses, ichthyosauruses and ringtailed
monsters. Progress got into the game,
however, and now we have people that
smoke cigarettes and 60 to moving pic
ture shows.
Progress Finally Wins.
But It took progress long time to
make dent on the senate. 1t could
get the best Of the pterodactyl, the
mammoth and the cave man. but the
trogiodyte groggy after tho first few
rounds, but 1t never feaxed the senate.
As the fathers made It, SO IL It today,
except that 1t has more money. In
the days Of Washington and Adams
the senate was long on back hair, in
the time of Webster and Clay 1t was
long on opatory, and at present 1t Is
long on bank books and the stock
market Sometimes also it is short Of
the market. but that Is only when its
inside information Is bearish. The
senate is a dignihed body, willing to
represent any one that looks like ready
money. 1t has a brand Of courtesy
that, like charity, covers a multitude
of sins.
h The senate has a rule against ap-
plause, but seldom has to enforce 1t
since nobody wants to applaud. 1t has
no written rule against reform, but an
unwritten one that Is az strong as the
laws of the Modes and Persians. do
not know how strong the laws Of tho
Medes and Persians were. and neither
does anybody else that talks about
them, but 1t is a good phrase that has
long done service. 1t Is safe to say
that they were stronger, for example,
than the criminal clause Of the anti
trust law.
Most senators look like perfectly
nice men and are not at all imposing
In appearance unless one looks at
their rolls. BY pocketbook measure
their greatness IL Of tremendous gtrth.
There are more millionaires In the SEN
ate than in any other body Of equal
size. They also look imposing to their
constituents, and for a reason. The
way they impose on these poor people
L. something scandalous.
A senator is big noise IN Washing.
ton, where money talks. If you do moi
believe that money talks In Washing
ton you should attend one Of it's social
functions or q session Of congress-
There are q few other takers In thu
town. but for persuasive oratory mon
ey has them all tied to tho post. TIT
others may be moro garrulous and
have more rhetorical frills. but the
a. %hn e. epottnp
When he makes q remark something
happens.
Lorimer and Bailey.
One Of the members Of the senate 1.
Lorimer Of Illinois, and another Is Bal
ley Of Texas. These gentlemen belong
to different political parties. but wha
are party lines between friends7 Bal
ley once resigned, and a few Of III
were deluded into giving three cheers
thinking that he meant 1t, but 1t wa
too good to be true. There were als'
persistent efforts to have Lorimer re
sign. with nothing doing. Lorimer hat
too much trouble being elected and II
keeping elected to resign. Perhaps l
Is Just as we'll that he did not Tha
would have spoiled a most interesting
investigation at Springfield and an
other and more interesting one yet {
be pulled of by the senate.
The Lorimer case had not a litt
30 do in crystallizing sentiment 70
direct election of senators. Publ
opinion was already for the chang
IN q languid sort Of way. but tn
made It bristle and show its teetl
Now everybody u for the proposition
or everybody except Senator Heyburi
Uncle Joe Cannon and a few other
The house has passed It by an In
msnss majority. enough OF the state
have indorsed Il to compel q const
sutionai convention. and the senate
driven into a corner and must need
sccept 1t willy niIly. II has been
long tight, and the outcome shows thf
public opinion can nnally have its wa
II 1t keeps OF the same mind Ion
enough.
House paasad IL