The chronicle=news., 1913-04-08
POPULAR ELECTION
AMENDMENT nth
(contiuusd from page oneJ

(Contiuusd from pags one.D
state May IL. 1912. for distribution
among the states,
Tn. original theory In establish
Ing the choice OF senators was that
they represented the states. whereas
tn" members OF the house represent
ed the people of their districts. II
was because Of this theory o! the
state as unit that all states, large
and small. were given equal repre-
scntation In the senate. Rhode Is
land having the sam" number as
New York or Pennsylvania. In the
theory OF the constitution trainers
this entity OF the state WIS thus
made more distinc; under the fed
eral system. and the state leGIsla-
,ure WAS regarded rs the suitable
medium FOR expressing this state en-
tity. Later IL was coniendcd that
stat. entity would still he preserved
II the people Of the entire state. In
stead OF the Legislature. chos. th.
senators. and this view has now been
accepted as the basis OF tn. new Eys-
TEN.
In iSaG the first action was taken
that Yer Representative Storrs. OF
New York. introduced n resolution
making senators elective by the pco-
pie. Another resolution OF similar
import was introduced by Rcprcscn-
tatiyc Wrish; OF Ohio. in 1879. In
$50 Senator Clemens. OF Alabama.
Introduced tn" first senatorial direct
election resolution In the senate
Ia.
msIt.
II was Andrew Johnson who re-
yiycd congressional agitation for the
direct election OF senators. As a
member of the house OF representa-
lives. he introduced two resolutions
for the change, and In 1860 renewed
he agitation as u member of the
senate. In 1865. as president. he
sent u special mcssagc 10 congress
advocating the measure. ana then
repeated his recommendations In his
annual message.
The siibjec; was revived In 1879.
1876. -iSS6 and 1855. hut without
success. In 1921 the hous. agreed
TO the proposition. as II did in the
succeeding congress. and still again
In 1895. 1900 and 1870. Th. pro-
1
sionx won favorable report from
committees In tn" senate.
With tn. house thus arraycd year
after year In favor OF the change.
III. senate bs came the battle-ground
lead In advocacy OF amending III.
constitution along this line. In De-
ccmbcr. 1903. he introduced his first
4 ~ A tnI lao. .l,st lnn
n report from the committee. but n
feature had been tackled onto his
proposal which brought on u figh,
In the senate. threatened to kill the
entire proposition. This interposcd
ica'ur. was to amend other provis-
ions or the constitution 80 Nc to de-
priv. the federal government OF
power to supervise the state regula-
tons as to the time and manner OF
election. The votes OF southern sem
ntors threatened TO defeat the main
proposition II the federal govern
mcni was given this power. Senator
Root made n speech. In which he
criticized the method employed by
southern states In deprivinH negroes
of the right OF suffrage. Senator Ia
con replied that the federal govern
men, was being given the power
once more to enact force bills" and
send armies and inarshals into SOU
thcrn states to intimidatc voters. On
February IS. jus, before the end of
the session. the resolution was de-
foated by four votes.
Senator Bristow reintroduced the
resolution at the special session I'M
medintely following. The fight OF
the preceding session was 'refousht.
hut this time the friends OF the rcso-
luton won by n vote OF 6i to ~. or
five more than the required two
thirdf.
The house had passed n resolution
which made II clear the federal gov
crnment was not to interfere with
senatorial elections In the states. For
weeks the measure was In conference
Finally the house conferecs reccdcd
and the house agreed to the senate
measure by u vote OF 80, to 80.
Previous to this time. the several
states had taken the bit In their
teeth by enacting laws which in
effect did not wait for a constitu-
tiOnal amendment on the subject.
Probably the mos, successful of
these was adopted in Oregon. Itl
virtually directed the members of
fhc legislature to elect the person
who received the majority vote at
teh regular election. when the pIac-
ing OF tho name OF u candidate for
United States senator up on the
tickets was authorized.
The control of legislatures by
great corporations was assigned by
Senator Bristow as one of the main |
reasons for the demanded change. |
with the development during re-
cent times of the great corporate in
terests OF the country" said he. land
the Increased Importance of leglsla-
ton relating to their affairs. they |
have tenaciously sought to control
the election of senators friendly to
their interests. The power of these