Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1912-11-20
PREDICTS
DIRECT ELECTION
OF SENATORS
Will Appear Personally Be-
fore State Legislatures
Wherever It Is Necessary
to Secure Action.

to Secure Action.
Every United States senator to be
elected two years hence will take his
commission direct from the people. in
stead of the state legislature or by the
devious path Of preferential primary.
II Senator w. q. Borah OF Idaho IL sue
cessful in a plan he has outlined for
this winter. according to an interview
in the Spokane Chronicle.
On the eve Of his departure for
Washington Senator Borah announced
in Spokane Monday that he proposed
to see that the constitutional amend
! ment providing for the direct election
of senators is ratified by three-fourths
Of the states this winter
Il am going to give the ratification of
the constitutional amendment. provid-
ing for the election Of United States
my personal attention this winter"
said Senator Borah. IF 1t Is necessary,
shall appear personally before the
legislatures of any states in which q
| fight on the ratification seems likely
! lie United StdteS COlStltutlOn pTo-
vides that any amendment must be
ratified by three-fourths OF the. states.
AS there now are 4s states in the union.
favorable action on the part of SO will
be sufficient to adopt the amendment.
The Massachusetts and Arizona legis-
latures already have ratified the
amendment, leaving "a states in which
| action Is necessary.
| Practically all the state legislatures
meetthis winter and 1t will be my aim
to see that "a states ratify the amend
ment. In progressive states like
Washington I believe no personal work
will be necessary, but in states in
which opposition to the amendment
develops I intend to give my best per-
sonal efforts to aid its adoption.
Income Tax Amendment.
| II would also like to see the income
tax amendment finally ratified this
winter and if.any help is needed in re-
gard to this I shall be glad to give my
assistance, but the ratification Of only
two more states is needed for this
amendment and I have no doubt that
they will be secured easily"
| The amendment providing for the
direct selection of senators was intro
duced by Senator Borah and passed
both houses of congress by the required
two thirds majority, largely through
his efforts. Some opposition to its rat
ification is expected from southern
states, since the amendment was
changed from the form in which II
was originally introduced by the Bris-
tow amendment, which gives the fed
eral government power to prescribe the
| election methods. By some it has been
| feared that this power might be used
in the south to give the negroes. now
virtually DISTINGUISHED in some states,
@ controlling power.
Amend Homestead Act.
Senator Borah said that he also pro-
posed at the coming session, to have
the cultivation clause" eliminated
from his three-year homestead bill,
which was adopted at the last session
Of congress.
IT am anxious to eliminate defect
in the three-year homestead bill, the
result of a house amendment" said the
senator. This is the cultivation clause,
which provides that 10 acres must be
!put under cultivation the second year
and 20 acres the third. This works an
I lHJuSIicc OIL lIlc sCtiiVi III tiiiS AOA eAi
western country. where the lands are
heavily timbered: While we had to
accept it or s, the bill killed we will
try to eliminate it at this session"
To Keep Hands OF.
Senator Borah declared that his
would be a hands off" policy at the
coming session of the Idaho Legislature
in regard to the selection of success
sor to the late Senator w. B. Hepburn
II am not going to take any part In
the contest for the other seat" he said
'f"I think It would be out of place and
highly improper for me to do so.
Furthermore none of the candidates
have solicited my assistance, In fact
they have been generous enough to say
they would be quite satisfied to have
me stand aside and let them settle 1t
This position will be very satisfactory
to me.
Idaho will have an exceptionally
able legislature this year. Including
, many men of experience and I have nc
|, doubt they will settle the senatorshlr
, matter reasonably soon after converting
} and satisfactorily to the people Think
there is small likelihood of deadlock
Praises New Colleague.
!, Judge X. l. Perky, named by Gov
ernor Hawley to be my colleague I'M
til such time as the legislature selects
, a successor to the late Senator Hey
burn. is a very able lawyer and thor
oughly familiar with the interests OF
lour state and the conditions Of the
west. He Is a man who has had wide
experience in the practice OF the Law
and on the bench and in fact is one OF
our very able men,"
Senator Borah arrived in Spokane
lSaturday night and had a series OF
conferences with north Idaho political
LEADERS. He made brief talk to the
lgrange delegates Sunday night.
I Be sure and try our Home Made
Mince Meat: 15c per pound. Norwood'i
Grocery SIS Main st. N-3C
!, Two sheets of music for Is cents