The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1912-05-24
In repls Mr.. Underwood insists ~

tue popular election of members IF
the lower house of congress.
| The Corliss resolution. as narfactad
by the Rucker amendment, was adonr-
ed by vote of 242 to Is.
The Alabamians voting ave were.
Representatives Taylor, Clayton.
Brewer, Bankhead and Underwood
The following did not vote: Repre-
sentative Aldrich of the fourth dis
trict, republican, paired with Repre-
sentative Burnett of the seventh. Mr.
Stalllngs and Gen. Wheeler.
Mr.. Underwood, in his speech renly-
ing to Mr.. Bartlett of Georgia. said:
i have no fear of a force bill. CAP
plause on the democratic sidel
! have no fear that the people of the
north desire any more to control the
election machinery of the southern
states today than the people of the
south desire to control the election
machinery of the north. applause
on the democratic side).
Mr.. Speaker am in favor of the
maintenance of the fundamental prin-
clples OF the constitution of the Unit
/ ed States in their integrity, as estab.
lished by our fathers. I believe that
those great fundamental principles
that are written in the constitution of
the United States are there to protect
the rights and the liberties and the
property of the minority, and to see
that they are not destroyed by the
ruthless hands of brutal majority
any more than they should be de-
stroyed by czar or kingly power.
| (Applause.)
Mr.. Speaker, l believe that the
| government of the United States
should be controlled by the people OF
the United States (applause) and be
responsive to the sober, deliberate
judgment of majority of the people
of the United States, as determined
and exercised by their chosen repre-
sentatives in the congress of the
United States.
| Il believe that in the past it has
been demonstrated by our present
method of electing United States
senators does not make them respon-
sive to the deliberate and sober judy
ment of the American people at all
tip,oc (AprIauco IN tho dapo0ora IN
side).
81 do not believe that the election
of United States senators by the pep
pie will overthrow the guarantees of
the constitution of the United States.
On the other hand, l believe it will
bring our government in closer touch
with the American people than it is
i today. (Applause).
ct will make it more responsive to
the real will of the American people,
and in this day and hour when 1T is
being proclaimed that we should tear
down the fundamental principles, that
we should go back to the old idea OF
a direct democracy and legislate abso-
lutely by the voter himself instead of
his representative, | do not believe
you can pass any bill, Mr.. Speaker,
that will do so much to strengthen
and sustain the constitution of the
! United States as it was established
by our fathers as this bill, authorizing
the people of the United States to
elect by their own votes their repre-
sentatives in the senate of the Unit
ed States, as we'll as in this house.
(Applause.)
Now, if | could select, | would en-
act the bill that we voted for in the
house originally | prefer that form
of the bill, but realize, as every 9TH
er man within the sound of my voice
realizes, that if you do not PASS the
bill as it is proposed by the chairman
of the committee, the gentleman from
Missouri (Mr Rucker) you defeat the
proposition, and it will not be submit.
ted to the people of the United States
for them to pass upon.
eve are not enacting this into law.
If it is a vicious proposition, one more
than a fourth of the states can defeat
lit. It goes to the people and the
states for their determination. |
would vote for the proposition offered
by the gentleman from Georgia (Mr.
Bartlett), if l had not reached the
conclusion that the adoption of his
amendment would endanger the vital
!. proposition that is pending before the
house. If | were assured that the
proposition offered by the gentleman
from Georgia could be adopted as an
amendment and passed by the senate
of the United States: if | were as
sured that we could adopt his amend
ment and that it would go to me sen