Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1912-06-07
he FAVORS
ELECTION
BY PEOPLE
CONGRESSMAN WILLIAM SULZER
ADVOCATES CHANGING THE
CONSTITUTION TO PERMIT PEO-
PIE TO ELECT U. s. SENATOR'S.

congress by the people. faVor this
change in the federal constitution as
| will every other change that will
restore the government to the peo-
pie. want the people, in fact as
well as theory, to rule this great re-
public and the government at all
times to be directly responsive to
their just demands.
I'm my opinion the people can and
ought to be trusted. They have DEM
onstrated their ability for self-gov-
ernment. If the people can not be
trusted, then our government is a
failure, and the free institutions Of
the fathers doomed. We must rely
on the wisdom and the judgment Of
the people. and we must ,esislate in
the interests of all the people and
no for the benefit of the few.
1--WE witness today in the person
mel of the United States senate the
supplanting of representative democ-
racy by representative plutocracy.
Here is the last bulwark Of the pre-
datory few Here is the citadel Of
the INSCRIPTIONS monOpolies. And
more and more the special interests
CT the country, realizing the impor-
tance of the senate, are combining
their forces to control the election Of
federal senator's through their sinis-
ter influence in state legislatures.
To-day 4S United States senator's
can prevent the enactment of good
law or the repeal of bad law. The
United States senate is the most pow
erful legislative body in the world
and its members should be elected by
the people of the country just the
same as the representatives in con-
gress are elected.
"This is a government of the peo-
pie. The people seldom err. The
people can be trusted. am opposed
to delegating away the rights of the
people, and where they have been
delegated away | would restore them
to the people. trust the people
and l believe in the people. l be-
lieve that governments derive their
just powers from the consent of the
governed, and hence / want to re-
store to the people the right now del
egated to the legislatures by tde
trainers of the constitution, 50 that
the senate as well as the house will
be directly responsible to the people
and the government become more and
pore representative democracy
where brains, fitness, honesty, abil-
ity experience, and capacity, aud moi
the influence of wealth, shall be the
true qualifications for the upper
branch of the federal legislature.
"The people all over this country
favor this reform and demand this
much-needed change in the feders'
constitution, so that they eau vote
directly for senators in congress-, anC
they appeal to us to- enact this law
to give them that right. 1t is not O
partisan question; neither is It sec
tional issue. The demand reaches
us from all parts of the land anC
from men in all political partiei
with a degree Of unanimity that Il
surprising as 1t is reassuring, 1t II
cur duty to respect the wishes of tn,
people and 20 give them a uniform
law allowing them to vote for Senat
ors in Congress just the same as the!
now vote for Representatives in Con
gress.
The right to elect United State
senators by a direct vote of tn
people is a step in advance and II
the interest OF the general welfar
; It is the right kind Of reform, and
. hope It will be succeeded by others
uLtil this Government becomes indee,
the greatest and best and the frees
, Government the world has ever see
where the will Of the people shal
be, as It ought to be, the suprem
law Of the land
Mr.. Speaker, ever since have bee
member Of this House--for nearl
Is years. have advocated and work
ed faithfully to bring about the elect
ion OF Senator'S in Congress by tn
direct vote of the people am tn
author Of this legislation In ever
Congress in which / have served
have introduced a Joint resolution
I amend the constitution to enact INF
! law this most desirable reform, an
the record Will show that have dor
everything in my power. in Congrei
! and out Of Congress- to secure 4
! accomplishment
I This Joint resolution speaks for /
! self It needs no apology and no e,
! PLANTATION. believe It is right.
! know the people favor It. want
I see It a part Of tho fundamental la
! Of the land, ! want to make the SCI
] ate less arlstrocatic and more der