The Washington times., 1911-01-04
LOR|MER PROBERS
FACING BIG FIGHT
Senate Committee May Be
Forced to Take More
~ Testimony.
FRANK DISCUSSION
OF MATTER PROMISED
Members Object to Report Finding
. Chicagoan Eligible for
. Seat.
By John SNURE.

A direct slap at the Senate Commit
tee on Privileges and Elections is plan
ned by disaffected Senators, who are
canvassing the upper chamber with a
view to moving, Immediately after Con.
gress reconvenes. to re-refer the Lori.
mer election scandal to the committee
with instructions to take more testi-
mony.
Senators of all factions and parties
are highly displeased with the failure
of the committee TO get the most inter-
esting testimony. In effect, the Elec-
tions Committee, and especially the sub
committee that conducted the inquiry,
is itself to be put on trial before the
Senate.
Both the subcommittee failure to
enlighten the most sensational charges,
and the reasoning which guided its
mathematical analysis of the vote for
Lorimer, are subjected to sharp criti-
cism.
The subcommittee found there was
possibility of tainting four of the votes
that were cast for Lorimer; but even
II these be thrown out there would still
be left enough untainted votes to elect
him.
Eleven Votes Tainted.
Senators who have been studying the
testimony consider that eleven votes
were so far tainted that they ought to
be thrown out, on the basis of the SUBJ
committees own reasoning; and, with
these votes thrown out Lorimer would
have fallen below the constitutional ma
jority necessary to elect.
This view is to be strongly presented
as soon as the discussion is opened.
Whether there will be strength enough
to send the case back to the subcom-
mittee for more testimony Is yet uncer-
tain. 1t is stated that no motion to
that effect will be made until investi-
cation has indicated the chance of its
passage.
The subcommittee that made the in
Yestigation consisted of Senators Bur-
rows, Gamble, Hepburn, Buckley, Fra
zier, Paynter, and Johnston of Alabama.
or these only Senator Frazier dissented
from the view that Senator Lorirner's
title to the Senate was clear and un-
smtrched. OF course, in any questioning
or criticism that may be uttered by
Senators about the nature of the inves-
tigation, the burden will fall nthe SUBJ
committee rather than on the main
committee. At the same time. n IN
should appear that in the opinion of
numerous Senators the subcommittee
did not do its work as it should have
cone 1t, and failed to examine witnesses
that II should haVe examined, this will
Eenect on the main committee, which
with the exception of Senators Beye-
rloge and Frazier, adopted the substance
OF the findings of the subcommittee.
Members of Committee.
he priN III
tee consists of Senators Burrows, De-
pew. Beveridge, Dillingham;, Gamble,
Hepburn. Bulkeley, Republicans, and
Bailey, Frazier, Paynter, Johnston, and
Fletcher. Democrats.
1t has for months been a matter of
common gossip that certain great spe-
clal interests were back of the bribery
which has been testified to in the IIIinois
Legislature; that the word went out
from Washington in the course of the
tariff session that a Senator was needed
here who would vote against the income
tax and for certain duties; that there
upon certain interests alluded to got
nusy and brought about the election of
Senator Lorimer
1t is not charged that Senator Iorirner
was party to this. But it is common
gossip that a certain leading corpora
ton representative or agent had a hand
n
toned was in Washington recently, see
ing Senators. The subcommittee did not
call him in and get his testimony.
Jackpot" Avoided.
The probabilities are that the chair
man of the main committee, who was
chairman of the subcommittee, Senator
Burrows, will be asked why this course
was taken. The subcommittee did not
probe into the Jackpot" about which
30 much has been heard, as some Sem
ators say they think 1t should have
done. This is another matter that is
likely to be threshed over
Senators are more and more freely eX-
pressing the belief that Senator Lori
mer's tenure is extremely uncertain, and
that he may be unseated. The fact
President Taft is urging a thorough
airing of the case; the fact that Re
publicans and Democrats, regardless of
partisanship, are going to attack the
legality of the election; the fact pro-
nounced public sentiment has been
stirred up and more is likely to be, all
tend to increase the difficulties in Lori
mer's way.
Senator Hale of Maine, the dean Of
the Senate, IL is now declared, is going
to oppose the committee finding in the
Iorimer case. 1t is needless to say that
the effect of such a stand by Senator
Hale in a matter of this kind will be
tremendous both on Congress and on
the country. 1t Will cause many Sen
ators to pause before voting to uphold
the Lorimer election, for the reason
that no matter how Senators may diff