how could trusts purchase a senate seat in the late nineteenth century?
what bias did the founding fathers demostarte in their procedure for electing senators?
See above.
In the late nineteenth century, trusts, which were large corporations that often controlled entire industries, wielded significant economic and political power. One of the ways they could potentially influence the election of senators was through the practice of "buying" Senate seats.
Here's how trusts could potentially purchase a Senate seat:
1. Financial Influence: Trusts would financially assist candidates who were favorable to their interests. This could involve providing campaign funding, making direct contributions, or offering lucrative business opportunities or investments.
2. Patronage: Trusts could offer political patronage, providing influential positions in their companies or industries to politicians or their allies. This was a way of buying influence and ensuring support from politicians in key decision-making positions.
3. Lobbying: Trusts could employ powerful lobbyists who would persuade politicians to support their interests. These lobbyists would work behind the scenes, convincing lawmakers to advocate for policies that favored the trusts or supporting candidates they deemed favorable.
It's important to note that the practices of buying Senate seats or using financial influence were not legal or explicitly regulated during that time. The Progressive Era reforms in the early twentieth century, such as the Tillman Act of 1907 and the Federal Corrupt Practices Act of 1910, aimed to address these issues and regulate campaign financing to limit the influence of corporations.
Now, moving on to the bias demonstrated by the founding fathers in the procedure for electing senators:
The founding fathers demonstrated a certain bias by establishing a method for electing senators that did not directly involve the general public. Initially, senators were elected by state legislatures without any direct input from the general population. This method was enshrined in Article I, Section 3 of the United States Constitution.
This procedure reflected the founders' intention to create a balance of power between the federal government and the states. They believed that senators, being chosen by state legislatures, would primarily serve as representatives of their respective states, guarding state interests.
At the time of the Constitution's drafting, the founding fathers held a degree of skepticism toward direct democracy. They believed that direct elections might be vulnerable to the passions and fickleness of the general public. Consequently, they designed the Senate election process to prioritize the interests of the states over the will of the people.
It's worth mentioning that this procedure was eventually changed by the 17th Amendment to the Constitution, ratified in 1913, which established the direct election of senators by the people of each state. The amendment was a reflection of the Progressive Era's push for greater democratic participation and reducing the influence of political machines.