| Show r QU Or H A SENATOR r IN this age of strife for supremacy k t among political parties nobility and andt t strength of character are often made of r E secondary importance to the power of leadership in the selection of a man to represent a state in the Senate I believe believe be be- Ii lieve eve there is no position connected with the government open to the ambition ambi r f tion Lion of an American citizen of such imand importance importance im- im and honor as a seat in the Senate Cham Chamber her Nowhere else is there such opportunity to help shape the future of a glorious country and the legislation of the present determines what that future will wiH be To take an active conscientious in int interest interest in- in t terest rest in the government of a State is the duty of every person who is protected protected protected pro pro- by its laws Not all may be honored with office but to every man is given the right to say who shall be his representative in the making and the en enacting enacting enacting en- en acting of laws An honest man mar will see higher qualifications than those demanded demanded demanded de de- by bylaw law when he looks for a man manto manto manto to represent him in the public affairs of ol the nation The responsibilities of a Senator are many and his duties are of a grave and important character The Senate has a a. restrictive influence over the House for forno forno foro no o measure passed upon by the latter can an become a law without the consent of f the Senate All treaties with foreign nations must be sanctioned by this body of lawmakers To appoint the important officers of the government to deal with measures affecting the tariff or curren currency y to regulate commerce commer e with other countries countries countries coun coun- tries to lay and collect taxes duties and imposts to provide for the defense and welfare and to protect the honor of the TJ United States are among the more important duties of the Senate The constitution says that to become a Senator a man must have been a citizen of the United States long enough to have become free from any inclination inclination inclination tion to favor his native country This period of time is fixed at nine years He must be of an age of mature judgment judgment judgment judg judg- ment not less than thirty years old and he must be when elected an inhabitant of the state from which he is chosen He must be more than this to a man whose love for home is shared by his love for country He must be a man of strength of character of good intellect and of keen judgment He must be unselfishly interested in the best laws for the greatest number He must be familiar with the momentous questions of the times have a knowledge of the important features of the political history of the Nation and of the principles of law and government There are higher qualifications than these that we would have in an ideal Senator and it is to be hoped that the day is not far distant when we may demand these higher qualities and when only such men as possess them will be eligible to the highest offices of the land When men whose honor cannot cannot cannot can can- not be bought who love their Creator supremely and their neighbor as themselves themselves themselves them them- selves who refuse to license crime who cannot be controlled by any organization tion whose love for country is second only to their love for God and who will conscientiously use their opportunity opportunity opportunity to devote their life to shaping the greatest future open to any people l when such men occupy the offices of oft t legislation these United Unite States will have vindicated their right to be the land of the free and the home of the brave To the man who has held his office for right rather than distinction comes a reward which is his because of faithful discharge of duty and which is of far more value to him than fame and ments |
