American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1911-01-28

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mer report without humiliating the
committee. The report of the major
ity OF the committee was the kind Of
a report which tho system senators
desired. 1t would never have been
presented II 1t was not believed that
1t would be adopted before the holi-
day recess.
LorImer Report Obnoxious.
The recess gave time for study and
reflection upon the evidence. Every
one who has studied that evidence
and approached 1t with an unbiased
mind has reached the conclusion thai
there is no Justification for the re-
port. President Taft let 1t be under
stood that the administration could
not stand for the adoption of the re-
port. The attitude of the president
made a few Of the old liners see the
error OF their ways and they let
Aldrich know they could not vote to
sustain the committee.
Senate Beveridge concluded his
study of the testimony and prepared
a minority report. That report went
to greater length in Its conclusions
than did the summing up of the testi-
mony made by Senator Frazier. II
was not content with stating that
there was bribery in the Illinois legis-
lature, but 1t went t. the extent OF
saying that the evidence warrants
the conclusion that Senator Lorimer
a knowledge of what was doing In
the legislature. This Is further thai
any other member of the committee,
or Senator Owen In his analysis
OF the testimony, went. Senator Bev.
er1dge In his report represented the
views of the Progressive senator's.
Senator Borah and Senator La Fol-
lette, who have studied the evidence,
are convinced that the facts disclosed
In the evidence warrant this conclu.
sion and that, instead of making a
real investigation, the committee ran
away from information every time 1t
was on the trail of real evidence.
Argument for Direct Election.
From appearances the Lorimer re.
port cannot be adopted In the senate.
1t Is certain if a vote can be had upon
the direct question of declaring the
Lorlmer seat vacant a majority of the
senate will go on record to vacate the
seat. A motion to expel will not carry,
because such a motion requires a two.
thirds vote and 1t is not possible to
get such a number of senators to SO
record themselves.
The Lorimer controversy is loaded
with great consequences. Nothing
which has come up in the senate in re.
cent years furnished the Progressives
with such a powerful argument for
the direct election Of senators. Sen.
ator Aldrich is credited with a desire
TO nave the matter referred back to
the committee. From the reactionary
viewpoint a great mistake was made
In ever letting it get out of the com.
mittee.
h Progressives will Join Senator
Burrows In a fight against recommit.
ment. They will join Senator Bever.
idge in an effort to have the Lorimer
seat declared vacant In this they
will not have the support of all the
Democrats, but they will be Joined by
a number Of Republicans not in any
sense Progressives.
The longer the Lorimer discussion
continues the better the Progressives
will like it, not only for its campaign
influence upon the country but be.
cause it will serve a good purpose in
the senate. The Gallinger ship sub
sidy bill is the unfinished business. II
will be fought by the Progressives, Sc
long as the senate is discussing Lori
mer's case it will not have time to
take up ship subsidy.
Norris Proposes Two Changes.
While the senate has the center OF
the stage with the big issue, the house
~Progressives are preparing for the
fight which they must make in order
to nail down the victory won in the
last session. Uncle Joe and his or.
ganization have monopolized calender
Wednesday and suspension day by
ridiculous rulings, one being that
when a bill is taken up it must be
read at length. Mr.. Norris of Nebras.
ka proposes that the rule be changed
SO as TO permit of reading a bill by
title.
-LD AARo NCAt Il Lit IL AARhSO !
proposed by Norris, which is to the
effect that there shall be no executive
sessions of any committee of the
house and that a record be kept and
published of the proceedings of all
committee meetings. This cuts deep
into the systems hold Upon legisla
ton. The executive session of COM
mittees is the cloak which enables
the putting over of deals by which
the public is kept out of it's rights.
1t will be two or three weeks before
the fight will come upon these amend
ments to the rules. but 1t is the inten
ton to force the fight and make the
rules as nearly right as possible at this
session. The votes upon this Norris
resolution will give another opportun-
ity to separate the sheep from the
goats In the Democratic as well as the