Evening times-Republican., 1911-07-20
ALDR|;H R[F()1ES
HINES TESTIMONY
FORMER SENATOR coNTRAplcTS
STORY OF PRESIDENTS IN.
1EREsT IN CASE.
CONFERRED WITH HINES
ON ILLINOIS SITUATION
President Taft, According to AIdrieh,
Made No Objection to Hopkins, eou.
tell Nor lorimer-cand Of Lori
n,sr DECLARED "Not objsetionab bIs''-
TsIssraphie News.

Washington, July 2o.-Former Sena-
tor Nelson w. Aldrlch, Of Rhode Island,
today told the senate Lorimer investi-
eating committee Of the part he and
President Taft took in the election of
q senator from Illinois in 1909.
Instead Of telling Edward Hines, Of
Chicago, the storm center In the present
Lorimer Investigation, that he and the
president were anxious to have Lor-
inner elected Mr. Aldrich declared that
he said Lorimer's candidacy was mot
objectiona ble.'' When attorneys for
Lorimer, on cross examination, tried
to show that the former senator might
have said acceptable" Mr.. Aldrich
emphatically declared that he said mot
ob1ectiona BILE" and that he meant that
word and nothing more. He added
that he knew Hines would use the in
formation given him at Springfield.
Mr.. Aldrich denied he had told Hines
that he considered Lorimer the only
man who could be elected. He de-
clared that he did not ask Senator ZEN
rose to bring Hines to consult with him
in regard to the Illinois election and
added that he did not believe that SEN
ator Penrose brought Hines to his
room.
According 70 Aldrich all the conver-
sa,ion he held with Hines in regard to
the senatorial situation was regarding
the presidents attitude toward candi-
dates. first Hopkins. then Boutell. and
finally Lorimer The senator denied
that he had told Hines he wanted a
senator elected because Of the pros
pectiye close vote on the tariff
The regular procedure Of the COM
mittee today was Interrupted to allow
Mr Aldrich to take the stand. He
shook hands with members OF the COM
mittee. taking particular pains to greet
Senator Lorimer.
"Then." continued Mr.. Aldrich, "Mr.
Hines asked me If I would say that 10
anyone who inquired OF me. ] told him
would say that Lorimer's candidacy
was not Objectionable to the president.
! said that the president occupied the
same position that he had. that ne
didn't intend to take any part IN the
election and that Mr.. Lorimer's re-
pIblicanism was satisfactory to the
president"
He was asked about Mr.. Hines testi-
mony that Mr.. Aldrich said Lorlmer
was the only man who could be elected.
81 could not have said that he re-
piled. because I knew nothing about
the Illinois situation"
Washington, July 20.-Former Unit
ed states Senator Nelson w. Aldrich,
Of Rhode Island, fatty contradicted at
today's Lorimer investigation the story
given by Edward Hines, Of Chicago.
that Aldrich had asked him to urge
Lorimer to become senatorial candi-
date and had sent word to Governor
Deneen that President Taft expressed
the belief that Lorimer could be elected
and was the most available man.
MI. Aldrich, once head of the pow
erful senate finance committee and
dominant factor in the senate, was the
first witness today.
Hines had testified that Aldrich sent
for him about May 1. 1909, to ask about
the possibility Of the Illinois legisla-
ture electing a senator, that eventually
after repeated conferences. Aldrich had
asked him to urge Lorimer to become
a senatorial candidate. and that after
a night conference at the White House
Mr.. Aldrich had returned to his home,
where Hines was waiting, and told
Hines to inform Governor Deneen the
administration was anxious the senate
vacancy be filed and believed Lorimer
could be elected. Mr.. Aldrich said he
had three or four conversations with
Hines about the Illinois election but
could not recall on whose initiative
these occurred.
"Mr. Hines continued Nlr. Aldrch,
said that Mr.. Hopkins could not be
elected and he asked me what the at
titude Of the president was. I said the
president was desirous Of the election
Of a republican. and while naturally
he was friendly to Hopkins. because Of
the primary result and perhaps other
reasons, still he did not intend to take
any active part in trying to influence
the election OF Hopkins or any other
candidate"
did vnu say there were several
schedules coming up in the senate and
that it was important to have every re-
publican vote in the passage Of them?'
asked Attorney Marble, reading from
the Hines testimony.
Il do not think that said anything
to him about schedules" replied Mr..
.Aldrich.
Mr.. Aldrich testified that their next
talk on the Illinois situation occurred
when Hines came to him with the
statement that there seemed to be a
possibility of agreement on Henry s.
Boutell, then representative in con-
gress, for senator. Hines said he was
anxious to know what the presidents
attitude was toward Boutells candi-
dacy. Mr. Hines said he was desirious
that the man elected would be agree
able to the president.
Later I reported to Mr.. Hines that
the president would be agreeable, that
he was only anxious to have republi-
can elected and that he was satisfied
with Boutells republicanism," contin-
ued Mr.. Aldrich.
The next conversation. Mr.. Aldrich