The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1914-11-02
THE HAsKIN LETTER
The Senatorial Elections
By Frederick J. Haskin.

In twenty-nine states the general
elections tomorrow will be historical.
Iney Will mark the beginning Of a
new epoch both in these states and
IN the nation generally.
For the first time in the history OF
general elections in the United States
the people in thirty-two states will
vote directly for United States sena-
tors. In three Of these states-Ala-
bama. Georgia and Maryland-in
special elections, the voters once be-
lore have selected directly their
United States senators. In these
states the people tomorrow will again
vote for United States senator's.
The seventeenth amendment to the
Constitution Of the United States,
making 1t mandatory for the several
states of the Union to select their
United States senator's by direct vote
OF the people, was signed and pro-
claimed on May 81, 1913. In the
three states named the new system
received trial, but in the rest Of
the Union 1t has not.
Under the old system, instead Of
voting for United States senators. the
people of thirty-two states tomorrow
would vote for members Of their
state legislatures in addition to other
state officers, and for members of the
national House of Representatives.
In some OF these states the legisla-
lures selected tomorrow would name
the United States senator. In others
the legislatures which will be sue,
ceeded by those selected tomorrow
would already have named the
United States senator's.
Until within the last decade vot-
{ers, particularly in the eastern,
northern and western states, did not
as rule trouble themselves to ascer-
tain from the candidates for the leg
islature whom the latter favored for,
the United States Senate. Various
causes are held to have been re-
sponsible for this attitude. but 1t is
apparent that the long time which
elapsed between the time the legisla-
tors were elected and the date for the
legislatures to select the United
States senator had much to do with
bringing about this attitude. The
voters were prone to believe that If
the candidate for the legislature
sized up" on the more important
state issues he would vote right"
when it came time to name United
States senator.
The last twenty years saw de-
cided change, both in the attitude
of the voter and the conduct of the
Legislator, in the matter of selecting
a TynftnI A r,ikn
by younger elements in the parties,
the change of attitude ON the part
of the general public with respect to
the relations between some legisla-
tors and corporations resulted in the
voters asking, in many instances, Of
the candidates for the legislature
pertinent questions regarding their
choice for United States senator's. In
sthe last twenty years states adopted
fcferential primary systems of Sc
Getting candidates for the United
States Senate, and, in some states.
statewide primary to select a can
didate for the United States Senate
for whom the Legislature was nor
mally bound to vote.
History states the trainers Of the
Constitution were not in accord
when they assembled for the first
time and took up the question of how
the senators Of the United States
should be elected. In fact, the sys-
TEN adopted and used for 1875 years
was a compromise compromise
which left much rancor. 1t was not
until 1926, however, that any par
ticular action was taken to change
the compromise system. In that
year. Mr.. Storrs, a member of the
House of Representatives from New:
York, introduced resolution in the
House. providing for an amendment
to the Constitution which would en-.
able the people to vote directly for
United States senator's. Congress
sional records now in existence do
not show whether any serious con-
sideration was given Mr.. Storrs's res
olution. Three years later, in 1929,
a second resolution was introduced in
Congress, by Mr.. Wright, member
of the House from Pennsylvania. In
addition to providing for their direct
election, 1t cut the term of senator's
down to four years. In 1885 another
resolution to change the system was
introduced. None of these resolu-
lions received serious consideration.
Between 1850 and 1856, there were
at least FIVE resolutions providing for
the direct election of senator's intro
duced in the House and on January
IA. 1850, Senator Clemens of Alaba-
ma, introduced one in the Senate.
Andrew Johnson Of Tennessee, while
a member of the House, introduced
two resolutions for changing the meth
cd of selecting United States senator's.
In 1860. while senator from Tenn
essee, he introduced a resolution in
the Senate, and while he was presi-
dent he sent special message to
Congress in which he advocated the
measure he introduced in the Senate.
President Johnson favored also the
abolition Of the electoral college.
Not until 1873 was another move
made in the Senate to change the