Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1912-05-17
TO ELECT
HOUSE PASSES RESOLUTION DE-
cLARINo FOR CONSTITUTIONS
AL AMENDMENT.
SENATORS DIRECT ELECTION
Measure With Bristow Amendment
for Federal Control Carried by 237
to 3e-Three-Fourths of State Leg
IsIatures Must Ratify 1t.


Washington, May 15.-On Monday
the house by vote of 237 to 80
passed the resolution declaring for an
amendment to the Constitution pro-
viding for the direct election OF Uni
ted States senators. The resolution
has already passed the senate. The
amendment, thus initiated by con-
gress, must be ratified by three
fourths of the state legislatures before
it will become law.
The resolution, as modified by the
senate, on motion of Senator Br1s-
tow, provides foT federal supervision
OF the senatorial elections. This pro-
vision was fought by members from
the south, led by Representative Bart
lett of Georgia, who held that federai
interference would lead to a return
of carpet bagging. AS passed the
resolution is as follows:
That in lieu of the first paragraph
of section of article I of the Con-
otitution Of the United States, and IN
lieu of so much of paragraph two OF
the same section as relates to the fill
ing of vacancies, the following be pro-
posed as an amendment to the Con-
stitution. which shall be valid to all
intents and purposes as part OF the
Constitution when ratified by the leg
isIatures of threefourths of the states.
The senate of the United States
shall be composed of two senators
from each state, elected by the people
thereof, for six years; and each sena-
tor shall have one vote. The electors
in each state shall have the quallfica-
tons requisite for electors Of the
most numerous branch of the state
legislatures.
When vacancies happen in the rep
resentation of any state in the senate
the executive authority of such state
shall issue writs Of election to fill
such vacancies, provided that the leg
isature of any state may empower
the executive thereof to make temper
airy appointments until the people fill
the vacancies by election as the legls-
Iature may direct.
This amendment shall not be so
construed as to affect the election or
term of any senator chosen before It
becomes valid as part of the Consti-
tuition.
There were cheers and applause
when the speaker announced that the
measure had received the two-thirds
majority required for a Constitutional
amendment and it was predicted that
the reform would be accepted by a
sufficient number of states to incor-
porate it into the Constitution.
The majority Of the state legisla-
lures meet next January and each
will probably act on the amendment
as speedily as possible. In the cases
of other states there will be no legis-
latures for another year so 1t will be
at least two years before the voters
will have an opportunity to go to the
polls and vote for senator as they
would for congressman. even if rati-
fcation Is prompt and general.
Representative Bartlett of Georgia
started the fight against the resolu-
ton which had passed the senate by
offering an amendment which pro-
vided that congress shall not have
the power or the authority to deter
mine the qualifications Of electors of
United States senators, nor to author
ize supervisors, judges or returning
boards for those elections, nor to use
United States marshals or troops at
the polls for the election of senators.
Representatives Kahn and Know
land of California were the only Re
publicans to vote for the Bartlett
amendment, which was defeated 189
to SO.
Those voting against the resolution
on its final passage were: Adamson,
Bartlett, Bell, Broussard, Canler, Col
lier, Dickson, Dupree, Edwards, Esto-
pinal Falson, Flood, Floyd, Glass,
Goodwin, Gregg, Hardy, Hay, Harri-
son (Miss.), Holland. Howard. Hughes
(Ga) Humphreys, Jacoway. Lee, Ma
con, Moore (Tex.), Oldfeld, Rodden-
berry, Saunders, Sisson, Slayden, Ste
phens (Miss.), Tribble. Turnbull,
Witherspoon, Blackman, Brantley and