ABSTRACT
The specific thing which the progressive movement in the nation aims to do is to modify the structure of the federal government so as to make it more directly responsive to the will of the majority. The experience of national life has shown very clearly that because of certain features of its structure, the federal government is peculiarly susceptible to control by special interests. To make the federal government more democratic by eliminating the impediments to popular rule is not to make it less representative; it is merely to change the persons represented. One of the provisions of the constitution that makes it difficult for the people to make their influence felt is the provision concerning the methods of proposing and passing amendments. The progressive movement aims to give to the voters not only the power to nominate candidates for President and Vice-President directly, but also the power to elect them directly.
