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Show oo I Senator Lodge Opposes Popular Election of U. S. Senators Washington, Fob. G. Resistance to the uttermost, totho attempts to transfer from congress to the various state legislatures, the control of time and manner of election of United States Senators, as proposed by the resolution providing for their election elec-tion by a direct vote of the people, was advised by Senator Lodge of Massachuesetts In a speech in the senate today. Mr. Lodgo was speaking speak-ing in opposition to tho proposed now amendment to the constitution as a whole, but he found an especial mark in the portion placing the direct management of tho detail of senatorial senator-ial elections in the various state legislatures. legis-latures. Declaring that the proposed chango in that respect "strikes at the very foundation of the national government," govern-ment," Mr. Lodge said that the plan violates the plans of the framers of the constitution. "It is now proposed," continued Mr. Lodge, to "put the United States government so far as the flection of senators is concerned at the mercy of tire states It Is proposed to lak'o from the United States any power to protect its own citizens in their rights, no matter how great tho neeel might be for such, protection. If this amendment should ftecomo a law, twenty-three states, Including perhaps only a minority of the population, could at any moment arrest the movement move-ment of the government and stop all its operations." The senator denounced as a "mockery" "mock-ery" the "pretense" that the proposed legislation wos progression. Not only was it a mockery but it was 'retrogressive 'retro-gressive and reaction of an extreme kind." "If adopted," he went on, "it would carry the government back to the controversies con-troversies and struggles out of which the constitution was born and which beset and endangered the infancy of -the United Stales. Lodge Is Fearful. enlarging upon the danger of the 'Proposed change. Mr. Ixdgo said: "Self-pceservation is the first law of government, as it is of nature, and it seems to me that no matter how we may decide the .ucstlon of methods meth-ods by which senators should he elected, elect-ed, the reservation of tho power of the United SLites to control those elections, if need be, Is essential to the government's safe and continued existence. Any attempt of this sort to break down, or weaken, tho author-it" author-it" of the United Slates ought to be resisted to the last. It is amazing that it should bo suggested at a time like thJs, when the government of the United States is of necessity taken tak-en up new duties and new obligations, as demanded by the conditions of the time, at a moment when the national government requires all Its strength. And yet, it is proposed hero to weaken It, to take from it the one power which In the time of stress will assure its existence. 1 cannot believe that such a proposition as this will be accepted by Congress. 1 cannot believe that the country would tolerate toler-ate it if It were once understood. Too much has been sacrificed to preserve tho union of tho states and maintain tho national government, to permit any tampering with those clauses which guard its very life." The Massachuesetts senator reiterated reitera-ted his opposition to the election of senators by the people "It has," he said, "shown Itself capable of adapLi-tlon adapLi-tlon to present demands as il has adapted itself to thoso of the past, and I have hoped and believed that the new policies and the necessary reforms which the peoplo desire could all be brought about. But new prophets proph-ets have arisen who are ont content with the reforms which have been, and which will be. effected by law and they demand that the constitution constitu-tion itself shall be changed. Its success In tho past, which has challenged tho admiration of tho world, Is not to be considered as any plea In its behalf." Constitution Endangered. That there Is a. menace of the control con-trol of the state legislatures by corrupt cor-rupt methods, he denied. The speaker speak-er paid his respects to tho portion of tho Arizona constitution providing for the "recall of Judges' which ho pronounced pro-nounced a flagrant Interference with tho liberty of, the bench. His pronouncement pro-nouncement on that subject Indicates an lulontlon to oppose the acceptance of the document by cougrc63. Closing his address with an appeal for tho preservation of tho constltu-I constltu-I tion, Mr. Lodge said: - -; H "We shall do woll to hesitate before be-fore wo nmr a constitution crowned by tho triumphs of a century and to which tho sad word 'f,ailuro; is still 1 a stranger." |