Amarillo daily news. [volume] (Amarillo, Tex.) 19??-current, 1913-04-09
DIRECT ELECTION
Of ]. s. SENATORS
AMENDMENT TO CONSTITU.
TION RATIFIED BY RE.
QUISITE STATES
PROVISION IS EFFECTIVE
MAY DIRECT GOVERNORS To
MAKE TEMPORARY APPOINT
MENT UNTIL LEGISLATURES
PROVIDE FOR ELECTION.


PROVIDE FOR ELECTION.
WASHINGTON, ID. C., April s.
Direct election Of United States SEN
at0rs by the people was authorized
and made compulsory today when
the Connecticut LEGISLATURE ratified
the constitutional amendment sub
mitted by congress less than q year
ago.
The new amendment will give to
the state legislatures the right to-
prescribe the methods of electing
senators Many legislatures have adj
iourned and will not reconyene until
1913. few weeks before the terms
OF many senators expire.
II Is expected that In many states
the legislatures will adopt the plan
authorized by congress and direct
the governors TO appoint senators
temporarily until the people elect at
the regularly called elections.
Special sessions are urged In many
states 50 that the necessary laws
may be- passed before the general
elections of 1914.
The New Amendment.
The new amendment to the cOnsti-
tuition. for the popular election OF
United States senators. Is the sew
cntecnth to be- adopted II reads:
THE senate of the United states
shall be- composed of two Senator'S
from each State. elected by the peo-
pie thereof. for six years. aud each
Senator shall have one vote The
electors neach State shall have the
qualifications requisite for electors
of the most numerous branch OF the
State legislatures.
when vacancies happen In the
representation OF any state in the
Senate. the executive authority OF
such state shall issue writs OF elee-
tion TO fill such vacancies. provided
that the legislature OF any State may
empowcr the executive thereof to
4,- j. t,nlp,.a4g ..Yo..tri.n.s nli
the roople fll the vacancies by cleo
iion as the legislature may direct"
The amendment primarily trans
fers the power OF electing Senators
from the state legislatures TO the peo-
ple AT the polls. To effect this change
il WAS necessary 10 alter the ma
cbinery for the filling OF vacancies In
the Senate.
For more than sixty years propos-
ais have been made TO change the
constitution so as 10 provide for the
direct clectio moi Senators. II was
not however. until June p, l9lLI
that the Senate was induced for the
first time in It's history to give its
consent to the change on that day
n voted TO submit to the states the
nroposed amendment The resoln-
lion 10 submit had already passed
the House in somewhat different
form Before adjournment OF the
session. both houses agreed to the
languages TO be employed, and the
resolution was deposited with the
Secretary Of State May l6, l9l2, Tor
dis,rihution among the states.
The original theory IN establishing
IN, choice of senators was that they
tcpresented the States. whereas the
w,mbers OF the House represented
IN. people OF theid districts. II was
he,ausc OF this theory OF the state
a. unit that all States, large ana
small. we're given equal representa-
zion i'm the senate. Rhode Island hav-
inr the same number as New for'
ar PENNSYLVANIA In the theory OF
tho constitution trainers this entity
"a, tho state was thus made more
dis,iuct under the federal system. and
tho state legislature was REGARDED as
,be suitable medium for expressing
fhf. state entity Later II was con-
tended that state entity would stu
ho preserved Il the people OF inc
oniiro state. instead OF the legisla-
,ur, chose the Senators, and this
t.v has now been accepted as the
basis OF the new system.
In 1926 the first action was taken
I'M congress looking TO a change. In
that wear Representative Storrs OF
New York introduced a resolution
making Senators elective by the peo-
olo Another resolution Of similar
.mpor, was introduced by Represent
aff,e Wright OF Ohio In 1929. In
1880 Senator Clemens Of Alabama IN
,roduced the first senatorial direct
election resolution In the senate
Noihing resulted from these move
meuts
4, vas Andrew johnson who re-
yived congressional agitation for the
direct election OF Senators. As a
member Of the House OF Representa-
lives no introduced two resolutions
for the change. and in 1850 renewed
the agitation as a member Of the
senate In isGS. as President. he
e.pt a special message 10 congress
- a.. ,..auwrn aud thar "a