The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1912-06-21
BATTLE NOT ENDED ! u | }
Direct Election of Senators Still
Needs Boosting.
LEGISLATURES MUST CONCUR
Thirteen States Can Defeat the Amend
ment Which Has Been Approved
by Conoress-Why German
Fleet Caused Anxiety.
By GEORGE CLINTON.

Fleet Caused Anxiety.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.
Washington.-It is evident from
what the leaders Of the movement In
congress say, that the battle for the
amendment Of the Constitution by pro-
viding for popular election of senators
Is far from ended. Both houses Of
congress have passed a resolution sub
hitting the question to the states, but
his, 1t is recognized In Washington, Is
only the beginning.
In order that this amendment to the
Constitution may have force and effect,
must be ratified formally by the leg
slatures Of three-fourths of the
Itates There are forty eight states in
The Union, and 50 thirty-six of them
must take affirmative action before the
amendment becomes effective Thir-
een states can defeat the amendment
either by "veto1ng" 1t or by declining
20 act at ALL
The friends of the constitutional
amendment for the election of sena-
tors by the people direct instead Of by
The state legislatures will keep up an
organization and use its influence to
get the matter promptly before the
legislative bodies of the different
states as soon as they meet. Georgia
will hold a legislative session in the
lall, and the majority of the states
will have sessions in January. Some
81 the states in which the legislature
meets biennially cannot take up the
matter unless extra sessions are
called, until eighteen months from
now.
There IS some opposition to the rati-
dcation of the constitutional amend
ment, but as yet the opposition has ta-
ken no definite organization form. 1t
Is possible of course that at the COM
ing national conventions of both po-
Ktical parties planks will be adopted
urging the ratification of this amend
ment. If this is done and the matter
becomes party matter" for both OF
the great political organizations, 1t
would seem natural that the ratit1ca-
lion of the amendment would come.
Navy Department Was Worried.
A German squadron has been IN
Hampton Roads for some days. The
president of the United States formal
", welcomed the kaiser's sailors to
American waters. The men-of-War OF
the German empire paid this visit to
the United States as a return compl1-
ment for the visit paid by the United
States Atlantic feet to Kiel a year
ago.
The navy department., and unques-
Aonably the administration as we'll,
was anxious for some little time be-
lore the German boats put into Hamp-
ton Roads, for fear that some unto
ward incident might develop. There
Was no particular reason to apprehend
my happening that might disturb the
amenities of the occasion, but the
navy department has a record of a
Ease, the memory of which Is still
teen in the minds of officials who
lave to do with international matters.
In the incident concerning which mem
ory is still green, the German and the
French figure.
In October, 1881, there was a cele-
oration of the one hundredth anniver-
,ary of the surrender of CORVALLIS to
Washington at Yorktown, Va. During
the Revolutionary war the French
aided the American colonists material
", and there was a French feet near
Yorktown when the surrender oc-
.urred, and French soldiers were on
land to assist the Americans In fore
ing the surrender of the British gen.
eral and In ending the Revolutionary
war.
Cause of the Anxiety.
When the plans were laid for the
great celebration, the French nation
was asked to participate, and consent
ID. Horatio Seymour of New York
suggested that inasmuch as Baron Won
steuben, a German, had helped the
American colonies, Germany should be
asked to participate IN the celebration.
The government therefore issued an
Invitation and German ships were
sent over, which anchored side by side
with the French ships in Hampton
Roads. Then the trouble began.
The American men-of-war, in flying
their colors in compliment to the WIS.,
Rors, hoisted both the French and
German flags. Because OF the fact
that the French had taken the greater
part in helping us get our freedom.
the American ships flew the French
Gag above the German flag, and then
things broke loose. There was instant
protest from the Germans and from
the German commanding officers. Ca
Diagrams were dispatched to the home
government, and it looked as II we
were going to have another battle in
the Virginia waters, with the Ameri-
cans and the French again as allies,
but with different foe from that Of
Revolutionary days to meet. The mat
ter was finally settled by the Ameri-
can men-of-war flying the French and
German flags side by side.
No Wonder.
Mrs. Brown-Goo dness, Mary, what
a~S llnh