The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-02-08
SUMTER, S G., wErNEsDAY, FEBRUARY g. 1911
ROOT ATTACKS LORIhER.
NEW YORKER DENOUNCES HIS
ELECTION AND WIIITEWASH.
Vetclan Republican Urges Some
Friend of Illinois to Rise and Clear
Name of Great State.

! Washington Feb. 3.-Senator Root
Of New York today leaped suddenly
to position of leadership among the
anti-Lorimer forces in the senate and
caused the case temporarily TO be
lifted above the attack upon the in
dividual so as TO bare the blotch upon
the name of the State Of Illinois.
When Mr.. Root concluded, Senator
Hale, the veteran Republican leader
Of the senate, pleaded with tremulous
voice for some friend Of the State, and
he suggested Senator Cullom to make
| a reply to Mr.. Roots speech, which
would eXonerate not Lorimer but H.
linois.
Il refuse to believe that so great a
people are rotten to the CORE" said
Senator Bailey of Texas. "If we are
to try senator's on the misconduct Of
legislators, then the senator whose
right is challenged now is not the only
one who must yield his seat. His coll
league, Mr.. Cullom, was elected by
one Of those legislatures and no man
here believes that he was a party to
any of these evil practices, but still
the case Of Lorimer is the case Of Gull
lom."
Senator Lorimer has numerous de-
tenders who replied to Mr.. Roots at
tack upon him and the method Of his
election.
Chief among them was Senator
Hepburn of Iowa, a member Of the
Lorimer investigating committee, who
charged that some persons had en-
tered into the attack upon Lorimer
in the spirit Of a man hunt. Before
Mr.. Root had proceeded far it de-
veloped that he went beyond the posi-
ton Of others, who have condemned
the election OF Lorimer as having
been accomplished by bribery. He
dismissed as immaterial the contro-
versy over the question Of eliminating
the total vote on joint ballot as we'll
as from the number received by Lor-
inner.
The rottenness shown by the testi-
mony contended Mr.. Root, was suffi-
cient to invalidate the election of Lor-
inner and he asserted that all Of the
following of Lee O'Neill Browne. the
Democratic leader in the Illinois as
sembly, was corrupt and the votes Of
that following should have been
eliminated.
Few senators left their seats dur
ing the speech and the galleries were
crowded with hundreds of others in
the corridors, waiting for chances of
admission, which never came.
I'VE are bound" continued Mr.
Root. "to act upon the universal
knowledge that the facts we have es-
tablished implicate others than those
absolutely known to have been in
volved"
Mr.. Root reached the conclusion
that deducting the seven tainted
votes, Mr.. Lorimer had been left
without majority, a fact which, he
said. ''invalidates his election"
This was equally true he said,
whether the corruption fund had
been used either to increase Lorimer's s
vote or to reduce the total vote.
Mr.. Root inveighed strongly against
the methods by which it is sought TO
sustain Mr.. Lorimer. He declared
that the senate could not afford to
sanction such methods.
IF they stand the senate can not
stand" he said. "If they stand the
government Of the United States can
not stand"
Mr.. Root characterized Browne and
his 80 followers as "a band of rob-
bers" and declared that all their votes
should be rejected in Lorimer's cleo
ton.
The conclusion of Mr. Roots
speech was marked by an unusual
scene.
Mr.. Hale of Maine pleaded for q
reply to the New York senator's
speech. Declaring that the senate
could not have been comfortable
while Mr.. Root was making his pow
crful argument" and confessing that
/ he himself had not been, he said he
hol been impressed with the serious
ness of the situation.
"As | listened TO the DISTINGUISHED
senator's lamcntablc and melancholy
arraignmcnL" said Mir Hale. the
Illinois senator disappeared entirely
and become impressed with the
serious reflection upon the great state
! whose namC iS inNpIVp1 -