The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1909-03-05
STEPHENSON AT
LAST ELECTED
AFTER BITTER FIGHT WISCONSIN
SENATOR WILL SUCCEED
HIMSELF.
SUCCESSFUL IN PRIMARIES
Charges Alleging Corruption Pre-
ferred In the state Senate Kept
His Friends Fighting for
Five Weeks.

Madison, Wis, Mar. 5. - United
States Senator Isaac Stephenson, who
yesterday completed the unexpired
term of John c. Spooner, was on the
23d ballot in the Wisconsin Legislative
Joint assembly elected to succeed him.
self for a period of six years. Sena'
tor Stephenson received SO out of 123
votes cast, thus having a majority OF
one.
The election of Senator Stephenson
ended with what has been a bitter
fight extending over period Of five
weeks. There we're ten absentees
when the vote was taken. Although
Stephenson was the successful candi
date at the primary election, his oppo
nents had fought against his election
by the legislature because of the fl,
ing of a number OF specific charges
by Senator John G. Blaine alleging
corruption during the primary cam.
paign. Before the time for balloting
arrived a movement was started look.
ing TO legislative inquiry into the sen.
atorial primary and after somewhat
of struggle a joint resolution point.
ing to that end was adopted. While
the investigation has been in progress
two weeks, nothing has developed so
far that would endanger Mr. Stephen
sons seat in the senate.
Enter Protest Against Election,
The friends of Senator Stephenson
claim he was really elected on the
separate ballot of both houses preced.
ing the joint ballot OF January 26
when he received a majority of the
ballots cast in each house. Lieut.. Gov.
Strange, however, refused to recog.
nize an election and ballots have been
taken in joint assembly every day
since that time that the legislature
has been in session. AS soon as the
result of the joint ballot was an
nCdnced Senator Blaine, who was au-
thor of the charges against Senator
Stephenson secured recognition and
entered a protest against the election
on the alleged ground that Stephenson
had violated the corrupt practices act.
Senator Page arose to a point of or.
der and said that the motion OF Sena-
tor Blaine was out of order and could
not be considered at this time. Mr..
Blaine then arose and said that he did
not make II as a motion, he simply
wanted TO have II entered upon the
minutes as his protest so as to con-
serve such rights as the joint assem-
bly, might have. The chair said such
protest would be admitted to the
records.
Thanked Members for Courtesy.
Lieut. Gov. Strange was visibly af-
fected when before dlssolving the
Joint assembly he thanked the mem
bers for their courtesy. Continuing,
he said: I'm the past three weeks
there has been reflection upon the
character OF candidate for office. II
the law has been violated in its pro.
visions for protecting the integrity OF
the people, 1t deyolves upon us now to
prevent repetition OF anything which
might be brought into question.
"The people are capable of govern
Ing themselves always and the prin.
ciple of the primary election will be
finally yindicated, but that radical re.
forms are largely needed is without
question"
The motion was then put to dissolve
the Joint assembly.