Report of Proceedings

resentation of constituents for other causes, is reduced to a minimum, and stands in strong contrast with the election of senators by the direct vote of the whole mass of voters in the several states, and especially in states were political parties are nearly equal in numbers.

Seventh, That, whatever evils now and then happen under the present system, they do not arise from any fault in the system itself, but from the fault of the body of citizens themselves, nonattendance at caucuses and primaries; non-attendance at registration and at the polls; slavish fidelity to party organizations and party names; a contributing to and winking at the corrupt use of money at nominating conventions and elections; and the encouragement or intolerance of individual self-seeking in respect of getting possession of offices, all of which are truly public trusts.

Eighth, That in ninety-five instances out of a hundred, if there be an evil or inadequate senator or other officer in the public service, it is because the power that elected or appointed him his state or community has been either grievously negligent or else is fairly represented. We must believe that the people's government is a failure and a delusion, to think otherwise.

Ninth, And finally, there is neither reasonable nor plausible ground, then, for taking the grave step of disturbing the exact and solid balance of the powers and functions of the national Constitution, which has in these respects given us a century of security, of state representation, and of state rights, as well as a wonderful national progress as a people.