Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-04-08

port from the committee, but feature
had been tackled onto his proposal
which brought on fight in the senate,
and threatened to kill the entire prop
osition. The interposed feature was
to amend other provisions of the con-
stitution SO as to deprive the federal
government Of power to supervise the
state regulations as TO the time and
manner Of election. The votes of
southern states in depriving negroes
of the right Of suffrage. Senator Ba-
al government was given this power.
Senator Root made a speech, in which
he criticised the method employed by
Of the right Of suffrage. Senator Ba-
con replied that the federal govern
ment was being given the power once
more TO enact force bills" and send
armies and marshals into southern
states to intimidate voters. On Feb.
IS, Just before the end Of the session,
the resolution was defeated by four
votes.
Senator Bristow reintroduced the
resolution in the special session i'm
mediately following. The fight Of the
preceding session was refOught, but
this time the friends OF the resolution
won by vote of 81 TO 24, or five more
than the required two-thirds.
The house had passed a resolution
which made It clear the federal gov
ernment was not to interfere with
senatorial elections in the states. For
weeks the measure was in conference
Finally the house conferees receded
and the house agreed to the senate
measure by a vote Of 237 TO 80.
STATES TAKE BIT.
Previous to this time, the several
states had taken the bit in their teeth
by enaeting laws which in effect did
not wait for a constitutional amend
ment on the subject. Probably the
most successful Of these was adopted
I in Oregon. It virtually directed the
members OF the legislature to elect the
| person who received the majority
vote at the regular election, when the
| placing of the name of a candidate for
/ United States senator upon the ticket
was authorized.
| The control of legislatures by great
| corporations was assigned by Senator
| Bristow as one Of the main reasons for
1 the demanded change. with the de-
velopment during recent times of the
| great corporate interests of the coun-
| try" said he, "and the increased i'm
portance Of legislation relating 10
| their affairs, they have tenaciously
sought 10 control the election Of sena-
tors friendly to their interests. The
power Of these great financial and in
| dustrial institutions can be very effec,
lively used in the election Of senators
/ by legislators, and they have many
times during recent years used that
power in a most reprehensible and
/ sCandalous manner. They have spent
enormous amounts Of money in cor
rupting legislatures to elect TO the
senate men Of their own choosing
ILLINOIS AMONG FIRST.
The first senators to be elected by
the new method will be these who
take their seats for the term beginning
March 4. 1915. They will be elected al
the November elections of 1914
The first 33 states to ratify the
amendment were: Arizona. Arkansas
California. Colorado. Idaho, Illinois, In
diana, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Massa
chusetts Michigan. Minnesota, Mis-
souri,. Montana, Nebraska, Nevada
New Hampshire. New Jersey, New
York. New Mexico, North Carolina
North Dakota. Oklahoma. Oregon
South Dakota. Texas. Vermont, Wash
iugton. West Virginia, Wisconsin and
Wyoming.