By The People

The recent conversión of Ex Senator Ingalls to the theory that presidents and senators should be elected by the people has brought that question to the front again, and it is being hashed over and over by the newspapers. The assertion is made that such a course would be more democratie. That. it would bring these officials neaier the people. For one, we doubt it very much. lts advocates say that the change would prevent or diminish bribery in case of U. S. senators for instance, and secure a better calss in those offices'- It is not easy to see how it would work in that way. The iiominations for senator would have to be made in state conventions, as those for governor and obher state ofiieers are It would be as easy for a wealthy and ambitious aspirant to bribe a majority of a coavention as it. would a majority of a Iegislature. It would, indeed, be easier, for the de'egate is a crealure of a day only, while a member of a Iegislature is, nomlally at least, in existence for trom one to two years. The delégate di-ops into the obscurity from which ho emerged before che peoplo have a chance to get a glimpse of him, while the leglsaltor is, so to speak, in the "public eye" from one election to another. Obviously the Jatter would have more reason to fear detection and esposure, and tl.eiefore would be more likely to resist temptation than the formei-. Then as to the question of .jualification, do governors who are e'ected by the people rank higher on the general average in ability and character tli au senators who are chosen by lejjisaltures ? No reasonable being wil] say they do1. Suppose presidents were chosen by the popular vote, how long wondl the country hive to walt for the ïesult of au election ? Take the electior. oí 1888, when Harrison's lead was 95,000 on the popular Nobody coudl teil whether he liad my ead at all until after Texas had counted her votes- that is to say, üntil two or three weeks after election. In the canvass of 1884 Cleveland's plurality -vvas only 23,000 ; in 1880 Gaifiedl's was but 9000. SU or eeven weeks would have to pass in a case like that of 1880, beiore the country could teil who wal eleeted, and the temptation in tht large and thinly populated states like Texak. to hold back the vote and ''doctor" the returns to suit exigencie would be very strong. During all these weeks, of course, business would be on the rack of suspense, and society would be in a ïondition of convulsión. This condition alone condcms the proposed chauge. The demoralization and expense ol such a state of things would be huniiUating and disastrous. The country will hang on to its present system oí electing presidents, even thougli it is b. little curabersome and unscieutiflc. The reasons, however, against the change in the case of senator are not quite so strong as this. Attorney General Maynard has :-enCereO au opinión to the state board oí corrections and charities to the effeet that all prisoners in the county Ic.iif, rnay be forced to work during the ttofi for which they are sentenced. Tlie only reason the law has heretofore been a dead letter is because the supervisors have failed to provide the work. Here is a chance íor the various boards of supervisors throughout, the state to take some action that; may relieve Michigan f the tramps who make thëirë periodic vIbit te the state - Coldwater Republican.