Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1913-06-19
SENATOR'S AND THE PEOPLE
Direct Election Expected to
Change Personnel.
Mnny Have Been Elected 10 Hig Of
ice by Popular Neutrality-suspicious.
Have Been Govcrnors-ueayy
Southern Quota.

A Washington correspondent of the
New York Post says: There is n ponu.
lar belief that the Senate of the United
states, having been chosen by Lcgisla.
lures rather than directly by popular
vote, will suffer great changes Of person.
mel as the result of the direct election
authorized by the most recently ratified
amendment of the federal constitution.
In all probability, direct election inClud-
ing the direct primaries which arc being
provided for in an increasing number OF
states, will have this effect i'm n consld-
erahlo degree. Yet IT QUAINT not TO be-
overlooked that moro THAI n majority of
the members of the present Senate came
TO their scnatorships after having held
high office in their home States by choice
OF the voters themselves. OF the % mem
hers now sitting, % have been govern
ors, two others hav been l~icutenant-gov
ernors. one a secretary of State. one
an attorncy-general. three have sat on
highest state courts. Eighteen more have
served by popular choice in the House
of Representatives.
1t is doubtful whether at any other time
in the history of the Senate SO many for
NOR governors Of States were members of
that body as at the present time. In
number they are equally divided between
the republican and democratic parties
with II each. Two States. Vermont and
Arkansas, are represented in both their
senatorial seats by former governors. s..
that, all told 90 different States hav,
q former governor IN the upper House
Of Congress. In the House of Representa-.
tives there are only two former govern
ois, y. ]. Montague, of Virginia, and
Manuel L. Quczon, resident commissions
from the Philippine islands, who was
governor of Tayahas.
IOBINSON'S Kaleidoscope TITLE
Five of the new crop Of senators in thi.
session of CONGRESS- were promoted direct
y from the governorshlp of their states
The 'lightning-change artist" Of the lor
is senator Joseph r. Robinson. or Arkan.
sas, who held three different offices il
less than two months. Senator Robinson
VAS elected governor of Arkansas last
September while a member of the House
Of Representatives. lie resigned from
the House on January II Of this year
took the oath of office as governor on
January 16, and was elected a senator
from Arkansas on January Is, although
ne ola not take the ofiic" until March (
inc close friends Of tho Arkansas scna'
LOT hardly got over calling him Con
gresham and n few had only begun
to call hin "~Govornor,' when he began
to he Senator"
The next most recent governor is Scna-
tor John J.. Shafroth, of Colorado, who
stepped out OF the one Office into the
olh"r' senators James II, Brady, OF
idaho' james h' Nardaman, OF MISSISSIPPI
ni' ana Edwin c.. Burleigh, of Maine
among the new senators, We're also the
hlGhost executive officers of their re-
Fpective states at some time in their
I'nIc careers.
Among the Older senator's, Senator VIII
Lam Q. Bradley enjoys the distinction OF
having been the first republican govern
or OF Kentucky. Senator George T.
an,aana.'' - "!.-""' was 'He hrs,
his choice helped accentuate the Oregon
idea" in politics, for the Logislarlra
which elected him was republican i'm
fact, although the legislators were pledr.
I'd under the Oregon system to vote f..
the primary choice regardless Of marty
The other Arkansas senator. James -
Clarke, was also a governor Of that St,to
while Vermont's quota. William p Din.
ingham and Carroll S. Page. wore go,-
ernors. the former from 1SSS to 1San and
the latter from 1890 To 1Sq,
The Central Western States havo rrt y
number OF senators into the Inner Houso
of Congress direct from the governor.
chair. Coo T.. Crawford. Of south ma.
kota; Albert y. Cummlus. of Iowa. 1Enute
Nelson, of Minnesota. and Roher, NJ Ia
Toilette, of Wisconsin, are examine of
the western productsSn Of nromotad VOW
crnors who continued to listen to The
voices Of their constituents with marked
results. Senators Nelson, Cummins and
La Toilette were all elected to tbe So.
ate before their existing terms nc aor.
ernor had expired. Senator perlt,s -,
California, and Warren. of WYOMING ar,
also former governors.
upA1rv co1-rurn
wa
Nearly tWo thirds of the Southern State.
nave sent governors 10 the Senate. TIL,
"e"h OF the corps OF governors from tina
section Is Senator Tlllman, of South Car
ohha' VINO got his start in politics in
guhernatoria fight in which the "grang
err element of the State overwhelmed tn,
"ristocfhcy ana reaped the full fruits o
victory by elevating Tillman first to tn
E~oVernorship and then to the Senate
ieHas mas CHARLES A. Culberson, VIII,
succeeded Roger @, Mills; Alabama, Jos
oph r. johnson, who followed the la
mented e. w. Petus; Georgia, Iok
smith, "ho' IN the bitter political battle