The State Grange of Illinois sent this petition to Congress which stated that the Senate was made up of millionaires, so in order to be more accountable to the people they should be directly elected.
The Senate was alleged to be corrupt, unresponsive to citizens, and filled with millionaires who spent too much on campaigns, according to many Progressive Era critics like the State Grange of Illinois. In response, the 17th Amendment was ratified in 1913. It provided for direct election of senators by the people, in place of election by state legislatures.
Transcript
OFFICERS
Oliver Wilson, Master..............Magnolia
F. C. Seiler, Overseer..............Mt. Carmel
George F. Bell, Lecturer..........Lostant
C.W. Green, Steward..............Decatur
E.R. Simmons, Ass't Steward, Jerseyville
Mrs. Brilla Cartwright, Chaplain, Upper Alton
D.Q. Trotter, Treasurer............Piasa
Thomas Keady, Secretary.......Dunlap
J.B. Hanlon, Gatekeeper.........Galva
Miss Maggie Helms, Ceres.....Belleville
Mrs. C.R. Taylor, Pomona.......Bates
Miss Emma J. Mudge, Flora...Peru
Mrs. G.H. Lambert, L.A.S........Littleton
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
G.R. Tate.................................Smithton
Robert Eaton...........................Joliet
A.H. Yates................................Dunlap
State Grange of Illinois
Patrons of Husbandry
SECRETARY'S OFFICE
Dunlap, Ill., Jan 1, 1898
At the 26th Annual Session of the Illinois State Grange, at Springfield Ills, Dec 14 - 16, 1897. The following was adopted.
Whereas. The United States Senator is largely comprised of Millionaires, who frequently owe their election to the lavish expenditures of money;
Resolved. In order to make there more directly accountable to the people, they should ne elected by popular vote.
Attest
Thos Keady. Sec
Resolution Illinois
State Grange, P of H
Favoring Election of Senators by the People
Judiciary
January 5, 1898
Referred to the Committee of Judiciary
This primary source comes from the Records of the U.S. Senate.
Full Citation: Petition of the State Grange of Illinois for the Direct Election of Senators; 1/1/1898; Petitions and Memorials, Resolutions of State Legislatures, and Related Documents, which were referred to the Committee on Privileges and Elections from the 55th Congress; Petitions and Memorials of the Committee on Privileges and Elections, 1871–1944; Records of the U.S. Senate, Record Group 46; National Archives Building, Washington, DC. [Online Version, https://www.docsteach.org/documents/document/petition-of-the-state-grange-of-illinois-for-the-direct-election-of-senators, April 25, 2024]