It’s not that the 17th was put in place for no reason, and not that it was put in place for bad reasons.
It is just like anything else the left does - they take advantage of a crisis or problem, or create one if it does not exist, so that they can install their solution.
The remedy for the stated problems in 1914 was to fight the corruption. NOT to disenfranchise the states. But the left *used* it to disenfranchise the states.
They are working the same kind of thing today to abolish the Electoral College.
Another remedy was for the people to send stronger representatives to the House to counter the Senate.
-PJ