Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-04-10

aataf direct The new amendment 10
the constitution for the popular cleo
ton of United States senators is the
lath To be adopted and reads,
The Senate Of the United States shall
De composed of two senators from each
SIX years. and each senator shall have
one yote. The electors in each state shall
nave the qualifications requisite for
ftectors Of the most numerous branch of
the state legislatures.
When vacancies happen in the repre-
sentdtloh OF any state in the Senate, the
executive authority of such state shall
issue wflts of election To fiji such vaean-
eieS, provided that the legislature of anV
sta.e may empower the executive there
oil TO make temporary appointments nm
I'll the people fill the vacancies b. alec.
tloh MS the legislature may direct
We believe this transfer of the power
al electing senator's from The state leg
isiatares to tie people 1t the polls. is
one more Victory in the March toward
real democracy. After constant agita-
lion for more than half Il century This
reform las been Effected Il vas not
until 1911 that the United States SEN
ale itself could be induced to give its
consent to the change. ON June "A of
that year The Senate voted To submit
the proposed amendment to the states
Since that time every New England
state and 80 others have ratified the
amendment
The original theory in establishing.
the choice Of senator's by legislative
bodies was that they represented the
states. whereas the members of the
House represented the people of tie
various Congressional districts. Ii was
because of this theory of the state AS
{. ani that all states, large and small.
We're given equal representation in the
United States Senate. Rhode Island had
the same number as did New York ar
Iexas or California. Later it was con-
| tended that state entity would still be
preserved # the entire state instead of
she legislature chose the senator. and
this view has at last been accepted as
IN" basis of the new system.
Tho first action taken in Congress
against the old system was in the Ma
| tionai House in 1876 when Representa-
tive Storrs Of New York, introduced a
resolution raking senators elective By
| tic people A resolution OF similar i'm
| kert was introduced in 1929 in the
House. but not until 1850 did such reso-
luton find its way into the hopper OF
| the United States Senate. This was
| introduced by Senator Clemmens OF
Alabama. Nothing resulted from any
of these movements.
1t was Andrew Johnson who revived
congressional agitation for the direct
election of senator's. AS a member OF
the House of Representatives. he intro
dueed two resolutions for the change,
and in 1860 renewed the agitation as a
member of the Senate. In 1868, as Pres
ident he sent a special message to
| Congress advocating the measure, and
then his recommendations in his annu-
al message.
! The subject was revived in 1879 1876.
1856 and 1855, but without success. In
1893 the House agreed to the PROPOSE
J tlon, as il did in the succeeding Con-
gress. and still again in 1888, 1900 and
1902. The proposed change on none
OF these occasions won favorable re-
port from committees in the Senate.
No legislation by Congress will be
necessary 10 put the change into effect.
1t Will be incumbent upon the various
I states 10 see to ii that proper provision
| IS made by the names of senators 90
! ing on the regular ballots. Should any
state fail to do SO. il has been sue
aested thar Congress might exercise
I It's power of supervision of that States
voting regulations so as to require The
name TO be placed ON the ballots.
| The first senator's to be elected by the
| new method will be those who take
their seats for the term beginning