The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-05-02
THE LoRIMER CHARGES.

The Chicago Tribune is an implacahle
foe Of Senator William Lorimer who was
elected U. S Senator from Illinois to
succeed Albert J. Hopkins, The reason
of this probably is that Hopkins was
the special champion of Chicago, the
boss' of the Republican politics of
that city. The claim was made in the
behalf of Hopkins that no received the
Republican nomination for Senator at
the party primaries, The claim Is not
true Hopkins simply received more
votes than either of the two other candi-
dates, but not a majority of the party
votes The combined vote of the two
other candidates, Mr.. Foss and Mr. Ma
son, was considerably more than the
vote cast for Hopkins. A good many of
the Republican members of the Legis.
lature were committed absolutely
against Hopkins, both by their own con
victions and by tho expressed desire OF
the voters whom they represented. Those
voters were uncompromisingly opposed
TO Hopkins because of his unsavory rec
ord in behalf Of polygamy, that being
exceedingly distateful to them, and be-
cause Of his subservience to CORPORATION
interests.
But the Chicago Tribune was so de.
voted TO Hopkins's S cause that it never
could treat with rational language or
sound argument any idea of opposition
TO him. 1t fought Lorimer from the start,
and has never ceased its bitter opposi-
ton to him. It chose TO consider Hop
kins the special candidate of CHICAGO, to
the exclusion of Lorimer, who was also
a Chicago man; 1t has never ceased re-
Wiling Lorimer, and now the Tribune
has found what it claims to be evidence
that Lorimer was elected through brib.
ery and corruption. 1t does not attempt
to trace this corruption direct TO Lori.
mer, but claims that it is proved Just the
same. All such claims as this are to be
received with good deal OF caution by
reason of the fierce malignity which the
Tribune has always manifested towards
Mr.. Lorimer, and We doubt very much
whether the e. parte showing which the
Tribune makes will be received with
elsewhere in the country,
The Hopkins case shows very clearly
the weakness of tho primary system for
the selection of candidates for the
United States Senate. The Same WAS
shown also at the same time in Wis
consin, Three candidates in each case
were before the people, and none of
the three received a majority In Wis,
consin as in Illinois. the Legislature was
overwhelmingly Republican; but a good
many of the members in each did not
feel themselves obligated TO vote for the
plurality candidate. Stephenson, how
ever, slinped through in Wisconsin by a
huke, was elected without knowing it,
and the Legislature kept on balloting
Just the same as though it had not al
ready elected a Senator In Illinois the
balloting continued until the owe of the
adjournment of the Legislature, and
then all at once a sufficient number of
the members of the joint session voted
for Lorimer to elect him. The Chicago
Tribune was inconsolable. 1t has never
made up its mind to submit.
1t is possible, OF course, that it's
charges with respect TO some members
being bribed to vote for Lorimer are
true. But so far there is no attempt to
connect Lorimer himself with that brib-
cry, Until that is done, the charge
will have no particular effect with re-
spect to him. In the meantime, the State
Of Illinois is well rid of Hopkins, the
supporter and advocate of the polyga.
mist bosses of the Mormon church. and
tho tool of the corporate interests that
have done so much to oppress and shame
the Republic.