The daily sentinel., 1913-04-09


was deposited with the secretary OF
state May l6. 1917 Tor distribution
among the states.
The original tn a0ry in establish
ing the choice of senator's was that
they represented the states, whereas
the members of the house represent
ed the people of their districts. 1t
was because of tbs theory of the
state as unit thar all states, large
and small, We're given equal repre-
seutation in the senate, Rhode Island
having the same number as New
York or Pennsylvhnia. In the the
cry of the constitution trainers this
entity of the state was thus made
more distinct under the federal sys-
tom, and the state legislature was re-
garded as the suitable medium for
expressing this state entity. Later it
was oontended that state entity
would still be preserved if the people
Of the entire state, instead of the
Legislature, chose the senator's; and
this view has now been accepted as
the basis of the new system.
Began in 1926.
In 1926 the first action was taken
in congress looking to change. In
that year Representative Storrs of
New York introduced a resolution
making senators elective by the peo-
ple Another resolution of similar
import was introduced by Represent
ative Wright of Ohio in 1929. In
1850 Senator Clemens Of Alabama in
troduced the first senatorial direct
election resolution in the senate. No
thing resulted from these movements.
1t was Andrew Johnson who re-
vived congressional agitation for the
direct election of senator's. AS
member of the house of representa-
tives, he introduced two resolutions
for the change, and in 1860 renewed
the agitation as a member of the SEN
ate. In 1865, as president. he sent
a special message TO congress adNo-
eating the measure, and then repeat
ed his recommendations in his annu-
al message. - .-l1.a-,
The subject was revived in 1878,
1876. 1886 and 1888, but without
success. In 1899 the hcuGe agreed
to the proposition, as il did in the
succeeding congress. and still again
in 1898, 1900 and 1902. The pro
posed change on none of these occa-
sions won a favorable report IRON
committees in the senate.
With the house thus arrayed year
after year in favor of the change, the
senate became the battle-ground. SEN
ator Bristow of Kansas took the lead
In advocacy Of amending the consti-
tuition along this line. In December,
1909. he INTRODUCED his first resolu-
ton year later he obtained re-
pert from the committee; but fea-
tuie had been tackled onto his propos-
al which brought On a fight in the
-engte and threatened to kill the en-
tire proposition. This interposed
eat,ue was to amend ether proYis-
ions Of the constitution so as To de-
Drive the federal government Of pow
er to supervise the state regulations
as to the time and manner Of cleo
tion. The votes OF aouthern senators
threatened to defeat the main propo-
stion If the federal government was
given this power Senator Root made |
a speech in which he criticised the
method employed by southern states
in depriving negroes OF the right of
suffrage. Senator Bacon replied that ,
The federal government was being
given the power once more to enact
force bills and send armies and
marshals into southern states to in
timidate voters ON FEBRUARY 2S, !
Just before the end of the session,
the resolution was defeated by four
votes.
Senator Bristow relntroduced the
resolution in the special session i'm
hiediately following. The fight of
the preceding sCss4Gn was refought;
but this time the friends Of the reso-
luticn won by vote of 81 TO "a or
more than the required two-thirds /
The house had passed a resolution
which made it clear that the federal !
government was not to interfere with F.
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
Oregon n Leader.
Previous to this time, the several
states had taken the Bit in their
teeth by enacting laws which in eff
iect did not wait Tor a constitution
al amendment on the subject. Prob
ably the most successful of these
was adopted in Oregon. 1t virtually
directed the members of the legis-
iature to elect the person who re-
ceiVed the majority vote at the reg
uiar election, when the placing of
the name of a candidate for United
states senator upon the tickets was
authorized
The control of legislatures by great
corporations was assigned by senator
i'ristow as one OF the main reasons
Ior the demanded change with
the development during recent times
OF the great corporate interests of the
country said he, and the Increased
Importance of legislation relating TO
their affairs, they have tenaciously
sought to control the election of sem
ators friendly to their interests. The
power of these great financial and
industrial Institutions can be very eff
ators by legislators. and they have
many times during recent years used
that power in a most reprehensible
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