The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-03-15
SAYS THE t. O.P. IS
 COURT|NG FAVOR Senator Johnston Analyzes Mexican Situation MOVE IS FOR EFFECT Alabama Senator Declares That Sen ate Acted Justly in Acquitting
 Lorimer on the Evidence
 Submitted

That the republican party was in oes- perate straits and that war scare ap- pealed to the general public and was be- ing used by the republicans partly to re- gain public favor, was the way United States Senator Joseph F. Johnston com mented upon the Mexican situation yester- day.
 Senator Johnston is spending the Sen ate recess in Birmingham at his home on the South Highlands, but was down town yesterday He said that the extra ordinary military movement would be in vestigated by Congress when it meets, and Judges he would not care to try a case before hearing the evidence.
 However, Senator Johnston said;
 .sThe extraordinary movement of troops to Mexico is not so very mysterious 10 the thinking public. It would appear that the republicans are striving with every might to get into public favor and coun- teract the great lead over them secured oy the democrats. AS war appeals to the imagination of the young men they are, I think, using that Mexican insurrec- ton trouble as an excuse for this sensa- tional mobilization. The gathering to- eether of this great army of soldiers IS tremendously expensive, and l do not think the placing of them on the Mexican border Is a mere military maneuver. If 1t is, I should think the mobilization could have been made at point less expensive and more central. in this manner reducing the expense of the transportation of troops.
 "There are hundreds of unused acres in Kansas which could have been secured for the maneuvers without having placed our army on the Mexican border and cre- ating such an extraordinary scene before the world.
 "The mobilization will be explained when Congress meets and investigates the matter.
 In conversation with several friends Senator Johnston was asked about the Lorimer case, and he commented;
 "The Senate committee and the Senate was sitting upon judgment In a case where it was alleged that senator had been elected illegally. The evidence in tTouuceu WAS lTOIl 1our Hleii, WHo, IL Wds claimed, were promised immunity if they would reiterate their story about bribes. I would not convict a negro chicken thief for stealing chicken on 8 low roost upon such fllmsy evidence as was intro- ouced at that hearing.
 We threw out what votes seemed to be | illegal and after that it appeared that | Lorimer was fairly elected over the other | men. The Senate heard the evidence and knew the laws, so could not do less than vote to retain MT. Lorimer. We were not trying the personal character of the senator from Illinois, but whether we had in the Senate a man illegally elected. The entire proceedings were featured by eX- | traordinary incidents such as the Chi cago Tribune spending a great sum of money and actually keeping employed 1OO detectives to scrape the state for testi- mony against Lorimer. We rendered the law, yet the Senate Is criticised by men who did not hear the evidence and do not know the law"
 In speaking of Senator J. w. Bailey of Texas Senator Johnston paid him this tribute:
 Bailey Is easily the most intellectual man in the Senate. He is head and shoul- ders above most of the senators, all of whom treat him with every courtesy ana respect. Bailey Is one of the biggest men in the democratic party and as big as anyone in any other party"