The Republican Senator Chandler has raised his voice against the proposal of his Democratic colleague, the Senator Palmer of Illinois. The latter is in favor of electing senators by a direct vote of the people. It is questionable whether Chandler's reasons have made any impression.

First of all, Chandler expressed his anxiety that such a change of the constitution would inevitably lead to a national election law and added instantaneously that the Democrats never would give their consent to it. He thereby destroyed at once the force of the argument.

Once the election of senators is carried on by the direct vote of the people, Chandler explained, the direct election of the president and vice-president would be the inevitable result. He is certainly right in this but he will hardly succeed winning many friends to agree with his objection unless it is among the most fanatical defenders of state rights, and the all progress resisting antediluvians. We hardly doubt that the majority of thinking men, would be in favor of an amendment to the constitution in this sense, although this may not be true of the large masses of voters. We venture to say that thinking people would be in 2favor of such an amendment regardless of the advantages it could bring to one or the other party. Election results could only be less accurately predicted if people vote directly than by the round-about way of electoral colleges.

Friends of the direct election of senators claim the following benefits from this system: First, this measure, in conjunction with the Australian election law, would send more capable and outstanding men to the Senate than are now seated there, because there would be no certainty of victory for the one or the other party and candidates would find it futile to buy their nominations from party conventions. Men with merits and capabilities would again have the opportunity to seek the high honor of representing their state in Congress and men with money only would have to retreat. Secondly, legislation which in itself has only a local or administrative application could be removed from national politics and legislatures could apply themselves more readily to their task. Briefly stated, this measure promises a general improvement in electoral conditions.

Our assumption, however, may be wrong, but it would be worth the effort to make an experiment. The senate can hardly become worse, or less worthy of respect or less competent than it is today, but it may be improved very much.