The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1930-09-17
It Still Goes On

It Still Goes On
The charges and counter charges, plots and counter
plots which have been revealed-or rather which seem
to have been revealed-in the investigation by a senate
committee into the Illinois political sltuauon, nave De-
come just a bit nauseating.
It is amusing. at first, to see senators engaging IN q
game which looks suspiciously like a small boy trying to
trick the teacher, and most of the amusement comes from
the fact that real senatorial dignity, on the part OF both
those who have and those who hope to have 1t, seems
rather remote from such antics.
To be sure, there are principles involved. Any number
Of principles, in fact. and the real question Is which side
of the question one wishes to espouse.
The attitude of the committee apparently Is based on
the principle that persons must not be permitted to buy"
their way into the United States senate. That was the
cry which first went up against Newberry in Michigan,
and which later operated against Ware In Pennsylvania
and Smith in Illinois. There may be some Justification
for it, but il there is It seems hardly logical that the
remedy lies in senatorial investigation and the barring
from the senate Of men who have been regularly elected
by the voters Of their home states.
Opposed to the august senatorial attitude Is the simple
fact that, after ali, the voters Of any state have q right
to elect their own representatives and to do it In their
own way. The constitution guarantees them such right
and. regardless Of what the circumstance. i seems q
rather high-handed procedure for senators representing
other states to upset the work Of an electorate.
No matter how dignified the mooper may be or what
his position, shopping still is shopping. II the shoppers
are members OF a body which they. themselves. concede
to be the most solemn In the world, the offense becomes
all the more noticeable. II solemnity and dignity are
unmixed virtues 1t should not be reserved for the senate
chamber alone. The public should have q chance to see
it in action. Perhaps the senate viii, some day. stage
a solemn session. When it does the event should be
given wide publicity In advance 20 that the long-suffer-
ing pubic viii have oppoesFunisy to attead. II would be
a real event.
The revelations which have attended the chickering's
in the present investigation, Of course, are something to
amuse rather than to annoy the average voter, but they
also are symptoms OF a disease which may do much to
wreck the political welfare Of the nation.
Setting itself up as the Judge OF It's own membership,
the senate rejects men selected by the voters to whom
that right is given. In effect, the senate Of the United
States has chosen In such cases. to take the voters Of
such states by their collective hands and lead them back
to the path Of righteousness. The voters have made .
mistake or they have been misled. It Is the duty Of the
senate to make them see the error Of their ways.
It is very kind Of the senate. Of course, but one Of the
privileges Of the American people has been that Of max
ing their own mistakes. II they like the way a Newberry.
q Smith. Ware or Mccormick spends money. and there
fore cast ballots for them. that is their business and their
privilege. The senate should have nothing to do with
It. A senator's business Is to represent the people who
elected him to office. and II the constituents Of the
OANOOb4A8 Nv GuCA1 0CtAOuS II represents y
surprising shift in the mind Of the average American
as most Of US know It.
To assume that the voter Of North Dakota, or Vermont,
or New York. has an overpowering desire to tell the peo-
pie Of Illinois whom they should elect as senator would
be unfair: North Dakota people are more gifted at the
simple Business Of minding their own affairs than to
justify such an assumption. The same is true of other
people In other states who elect senators. Why, then,
should the senator's elected by such people not take their
cue from their respective celebrates?
The attitude Of the senate in recent cases raises the
question Of whether we are not being headed toward an
oigarchy in this country. A senatorial oligarchy, prop
erly entrenched. could reject any one who lacked suf-
ficient what-ever-it-is to justify them in granting him
. place In the sacred chamber. We might even come to
the place where the support Of an electorate would be
merely the first step toward obtaining . seat to which
the vote Of the electorate alone should entitle q man
or . woman.
Ancient Venice was ruled by ~oligarchs and doubtless
there Is something to be said for the system. But II we
are to have an oligarchy in this country It should be ar
rived at openly. The people Of America do not want
such q thing to happen insidiously.