Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 117, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 May 1912 — HOUSE TOTES FOB DIRECT ELECTION OF U. S. SENATORS. [ARTICLE]

HOUSE TOTES FOB DIRECT ELECTION OF U. S. SENATORS.

BID Which Submits Question In Form of Amendment to Constitution Fosses Lower Brunch. Election of senators by the direct vote of the people is assured. —v-Th©-first formal step to this end was taken Monday, when the house of representatives overwhelmingly accepted the senate bill and thus provided for the presentation of 'the constitutional amendment to the several states. More than three-fourths of the states, as are required, either have adopted senatorial primaries or forced through their legislatures resolutions approving the reform. It may be expected, therefore, that at the elections of 1914, or certainly those of 1916, one-third of the senate will be elected directly by the people. Every two years thereafter a third of the senate will be elected by the people, so that In eight years the upper house of congress will be composed of men who owe thoir seats to the voters and not to the legislatures. It will now be the duty of the secretary of state to notify the governors of the several states of the approval or disapproval of the amendments by those states. .. / ■ y; /?"-■ '■ '--v"' Thus has ended a struggle which has been maintained for years in and out of congress. All the big interests, accustomed to naming senators, were opposed to the reform.