The Blackfoot optimist. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1907-1918, 1913-04-24
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE


SPECIAL cQRREsPoNDENcE
Warrington, 3. c.. April 15.-rhere
il no hah' Id Congress who II" enti-
tted to more ore credit f6f the law amend:
idF tie constitution td provide fof
tAea election 81 Uditssd states senator's
" direct vote than senator Borah Of
Ever sfnceS he: enterAd' the Senate
hs has BEEN "a assAfe i.;liv addaSocats' Of
the probcssd. change which has been
under co,nnsideratiohn > AZ different times
for nearly 4 hundred years. '-'s.
Just a. senator = Hepburn = was able
.. forrcc;s' tie enactment 81 the Pure
Food BIZ after repeated attsmbts had
besn made covering a period q TWEEN
ty years. Senator Borah has forced
the enactment OF law amending the
constitution as above indicated.
With the term commencing March 4.
1915, every man to be chosen to the
Senate. must now be elected by the
people. Many legislatures have ad-
journed until 1915. and in thesa states
some confusion may result. but sena-
tor Borah, zone Of the best constitu-
tional lawyers in the Senate as re-
ferred to by. the Washington Post.
said that all subsequent elections now
must come under. this amendment. Spe
ctal sessions Of the legislature will
be urged in many states to prepare
the machinery for senatorial elections.
Discussing the Importance Of the
State legislatures on welldefined state
Mr., Borah said: 1t will do away
away with deadlocks and scandals in
state Legislatures, and will remove the
corrupting influences that have dom
SO much to destroy the confidence Of
the people in their legislatures. 1t
Is safe to say that nine-tenths Of the
corruption engendered in State Legis-
latures has its source in senatorial
elections.
1T will enable the people to elect
state legislatures on well-defined state
issues, disentangled from senatorial
elections; and enable the people to
elect United States senators on we'll
defined national issues disentangled
from matters of local legislation. In
- er words, it will give free scope
in this feature of the government to
the representative principles of our
government.
The ratification of this amendment
demonstrates after all it is not so
difficult to amend the constitution.
When the people are thoroughly arous.
ed and are thoroughly interested the,
can make Congress conform to their
desires promptly and rapidly
The following joint memorials of the
Idaho State Legislature were introduc-
ed at the opening day OF Congress by
Senator Brady.
H. ]. M. 5. Providing for the pay
ment of citizens who participated in
the numerous Indian wars from the
time of the organizations of the terri
tory Of Idaho until it became a state.
who have not been paid COR their SER
vices.
S. ]. M. 9. That the Boise barracks.
IN the event they are to be abandoned
by the government be donated to the
State of Idaho for the establishment
Of experimental stations or for such
uses as tho legislature may deem pro-
per.
H. J. M. s. Providing for an investi-
cation by the Department Of the In
terror of the roads and bridges which
should be constructed and maintained
in the forest reserves, and an appro-
priation to be made by the Govern
ment for the purposes of building and
maintaining such roads and bridges,
thus removing the grievous burdens
that the taxpayers of these counties
are now under.
S. ]. M. z. Indorsing the action o.
the Jefferson Monticello Association in
endeavoring to restore to a position
Of national dignity the home of Tho
mas Jefferson.
S. J. M. 5. That Congress be re-
Quested to enact such laws as will
permit the organization Of national
land mortgage banks.
S. J. M. 8. Asking for an appropria-
ton from the Government Of 81, 100, 900
to be Immediately available, for the
completion Of the Cello canal and the
opening Of the Columbia and Snake
rivers to free navigation.
S. J. NJ. 1. Urging that the bill now
pending in Congress which provides
for the leasing Of the remaining unap-
propriated public domain, be not
enacted into law.
H. J. R. Z. Urging the passage of H.
B. 1866 which provides for the per