the scene of many memorable contests with the President for
political control。 The senators are elder statesmen； who have
passed through the refining fires of experience； either in law；
business； or politics。 A senator is elected for six years； so
that he has a period of rest between elections； in which he may
forget his constituents in the ardor of his duties。
Within the last few decades a great change has come over the
Senate； over its membership； its attitude towards public
questions； and its relation to the electorate。 This has been
brought about through disclosures tending to show the relations
on the part of some senators towards 〃big business。〃 As early as
the Granger revelations of railway machinations in politics； in
the seventies； a popular distrust of the Senate became
pronounced。 No suggestion of corruption was implied； but certain
senators were known as 〃railway senators；〃 and were believed to
use their partizan influence in their friends' behalf。 This
feeling increased from year to year； until what was long
suspected came suddenly to light； through an entirely unexpected
agency。 William Randolph Hearst； a newspaper owner who had in
vain attempted to secure a nomination for President by the
Democrats and to get himself elected Governor of New York； had
organized and financed a party of his own； the Independence
League。 While speaking in behalf of his party； in the fall of
1908； he read extracts from letters written by an official of the
Standard Oil Company to various senators。 The letters； it later
appeared； had been purloined from the Company's files by a
faithless employee。 They caused a tremendous sensation。 The
public mind had become so sensitive that the mere fact that an
intimacy existed between the most notorious of trusts and some
few United States senatorsthe correspondents called each other
〃Dear John；〃 〃Dear Senator；〃 etc。was sufficient to arouse the
general wrath。 The letters disclosed a keen interest on the part
of the corporation in the details of legislation； and the public
promptly took the Standard Oil Company as a type。 They believed；
without demanding tangible proof； that other great corporations
were； in some sinister manner； influencing legislation。
Railroads； insurance companies； great banking concerns； vast
industrial corporations； were associated in the public mind as
〃the Interests。〃 And the United States Senate was deemed the
stronghold of the interests。 A saturnalia of senatorial
muckraking now laid bare the 〃oligarchy；〃 as the small group of
powerful veteran Senators who controlled the senatorial machinery
was called。 It was disclosed that the centralization of
leadership in the Senate coincided with the centralization of
power in the Democratic and Republican national machines。 In 1911
and 1912 a 〃money trust〃 investigation was conducted by the
Senate and a comfortable entente was revealed between a group of
bankers； insurance companies； manufacturers； and other interests；
carried on through an elaborate system of interlocking
directorates。 Finally； in 1912； the Senate ordered its Committee
on Privileges and Elections to investigate campaign contributions
paid to the national campaign committees in 1904； 1908； and 1912。
The testimony taken before this committee supplied the country
with authentic data of the interrelations of Big Business and Big
Politics。
The revolt against 〃Cannonism〃 in the House had its counterpart
in the Senate。 By the time the Aldrich tariff bill came to a vote
（1909）； about ten Republican senators rebelled。 The revolt
gathered momentum and culminated in 1912 in the organization of
the National Progressive party with Theodore Roosevelt as its
candidate for President and Hiram Johnson of California for Vice…
President。 The majority of the Progressives returned to the
Republican fold in 1916。 But the rupture was not healed； and the
Democrats reelected Woodrow Wilson。
CHAPTER IX。 THE AWAKENING
In the early days a ballot was simply a piece of paper with the
names of the candidates written or printed on it。 As party
organizations became more ambitious； the party printed its own
ballots； and 〃scratching〃 was done by pasting gummed stickers；
with the names of the substitutes printed on them； over the
regular ballot； or by simply striking out a name and writing
another one in its place。 It was customary to print the different
party tickets on different colored paper； so that the judges in
charge of the ballot boxes could tell how the men voted。 When
later laws required all ballots to be printed on white paper and
of the same size； the parties used paper of different texture。
Election officials could then tell by the 〃feel〃 which ticket was
voted。 Finally paper of the same color and quality was enjoined
by some States。 But it was not until the State itself undertook
to print the ballots that uniformity was secured。
In the meantime the peddling of tickets was a regular occupation
on election day。 Canvassers invaded homes and places of business；
and even surrounded the voting place。 It was the custom in many
parts of the country for the voters to prepare the ballots before
reaching the voting place and carry them in the vest pocket； with
a margin showing。 This was a sort of signal that the voter's mind
had been made up and that he should be let alone； yet even with
this signal showing； in hotly contested elections the voter ran a
noisy gauntlet of eager solicitors； harassing him on his way to
vote as cab drivers assail the traveler when he alights from the
train。 This free and easy method； tolerable in sparsely settled
pioneer districts； failed miserably in the cities。 It was
necessary to pass rigorous laws against vote buying and selling；
and to clear the polling…place of all partizan soliciting。 Penal
provisions were enacted against intimidation； violence；
repeating； false swearing when challenged； ballot…box stuffing；
and the more patent forms of partizan vices。 In order to stop the
practice of 〃repeating；〃 New York early passed laws requiring
voters to be duly registered。 But the early laws were defective；
and the rolls were easily padded。 In most of the cities poll
lists were made by the party workers； and the name of each voter
was checked off as he voted。 It was still impossible for the
voter to keep secret his ballot。 The buyer of votes could tell
whether he got what he paid for； the employer； so disposed； could
bully those dependent on him into voting as he wished； and the
way was open to all manner of tricks in the printing of ballots
with misleading emblems； or with certain names omitted； or with a
mixture of candidates from various partiestricks that were
later forbidden by law but were none the less common。
Rather suddenly a great change came over election day。 In 1888
Kentucky adopted the Australian ballot for the city of
Louisville； and Massachusetts adopted it for all state and local
elections。 The Massachusetts statute provided that before an
election each political party should certify its nominees to the
Secretary of the Commonwealth。 The State then printed the
ballots。 All the nominees of all the parties were printed on one
sheet。 Each office was placed in a separate column； the
candidates in alphabetical order； with the names of the parties
following。 Blank spaces were left for those who wished to vote
for others than the regular nominees。 This form of ballot
prevented 〃voting straight〃 with a single mark。 The voter； in the
seclusion of a booth at the polling…place； had to pick his
party's candidates from the numerous columns。
Indiana； in 1889； adopted a similar statute but the ballot had
certain modifications to suit the needs of party orthodoxy。 Here
the columns represented parties； not offices。 Each party had a
column。 Each column was headed by the party name and its device；
so that those who could not read could vote for the Rooster or
the Eagle or the Fountain。 There was a circle placed under the
device； and by making his mark in this circle the voter voted
straight。
Within eight years thirty…eight States and two Territories had
adopted the Australian or blanket ballot in some modified form。
It was but a step to the state control of the election machinery。
Some state officer； usually the Secretary of State； was
designated to see that the election laws were enforced。 In New
York a State Commissioner of Elections was appointed。 The
appointment of local inspectors and judges remained for a time in
the hands of the parties。 But soon in several States even this
power was taken from them； and the trend now is towards
appointing all election officers by the central authority。 These
officers also have complete charge of the registration of voters。
In some States； like New York； registration has become a rather
solemn procedure； requiring the answering of many questions and
the signing of the voter's name； all under the threat of perjury
if a wilful misrepresentation is made。
So passed out of the control of the party the preparation of the
ballot and the use of the ballot on election day。 Innumerable
rules have been laid down by the State for the conduct of
elections。 The distribution of the ballots； their custody before
election； the order of electional procedure； the counting of the
ballots； the making of returns； the custody of the ballot…boxes；
and all other necessary details； are regulated by law under
official state supervision。 The parties are allowed watchers at
the polls； but these have no official standing。
If a Revolutionary Father could visit his old haunts on election
day； he would be astonished at the sober decorum。 In his time
elections lasted three days； days filled with harangue； with
drinking； betting； raillery； and occasional encounters。 Even
those whose memory goes back to the Civil War can contrast the
ballot peddling； the soliciting； the crowded noisy
polling…places； with the calm and quiet with which men deposit
their ballots today。 For now every ballot is numbered and no one
is permitted to take a single copy from the room。 Every voter
must prepare his ballot in the booth。 And every polling…place is
an island of immunity in the sea of political excitement。
Whi