The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1913-06-11
AS Regards Constitutional
Amendment.
A LONG FIGHT FOR ADOPTION
But II Marks a Big Change
In Present System Of
Government.
INDEPENDENT VOTERS POWER

Through the proclamation of the
Secretary of State of the adoption
of the Seventeenth Amendment to
the Constitution the legal require
ments have been fulfilled, and it.
is now in full operation Throughout,
the Union.
The agitation for this amend
ment was begun in the closing
years of the eighteenth century,
and as far back as 1906 an effort
was made in a legislative way to
engraft it upon the Constitution.
1t has only been in the last 20
years, however, that it has attract
ed sufficient popular support as to
give il any chance for adoption, and
that support was gained rather
through the abuses that crept into
the operation Of the system OF
electing United States Senators by
State Legislatures than through
any intense desire of the people for
the new mode of election.
1t stands as a condemnation of
the evils of the former method of
election and places political power
directly in the hands of the voters
to an extent that all Federalists
would have denounced and many
State Rights Democrats would have
feared as portending in the ultimate
the obliteration of the States rep
resentatives in the Senate and the
election of it's members by popular
vote of the electors of the Union.
We already have a testing of
public sentiment as to the nominal
ton of Presidential candidates
through national primaries and the
doing away of national conventions
The proposal to elect the Presidents
through the popular vote of the ma
ton is not far distant at this writ
ing.
This Seventeenth Amendment
marks a profound change in our
system of government.
1t is doubtful if a single other
amendment to that Constitution
carries with it so great a departure
from the views of the founders of
the Government as this one, but
the unanimity of public sentiment
in its favor, brought about through
the glazing evils of the original sys-
TEN. must stand as a popular YER
dict against the old plan and be
accepted as a mark of progress in
adjusting the Constitution to the
requirements of the age and the
conditions in the republic.
With primaries for candidates
for all elective positions from the
highest to the lowest, the dark
horses" of political contests are en-
tirely done away with, while per-
sonal and party organizations are
destined to stress and storm, and
often wreck and ruin. either
through the primaries or at the
elections which follow them.
The Independent voter now holds
the whip hand in a greater degree
than ever before, and the press of
the country gains an influence for
beyond any it yet has possessed or
welded.
There will remain political or
ganization, but 1t will be on far diff
ferent lines than in the past, and
while dark horses" are precluded
from entering the races, the floating
vote, the independent vote, the vote
O fthe disappointed and dissatisfied,
the uncertain, yet possibly deter
mining vote, will increase with ev-
cry primary and tell with stunning
effect in the succeeding elections.
Under the new dispensation the
responsibilities OF the press are
vastly augmented by reason of the
Increased influence It will possess
in determining public questions. or
in favoring or opposing the election
of candidates for public Office
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