The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-02-23

| assassins Of character were then as
since, trying to destroy him.
never got one vote under false
pretenses, said Mr.. Lorimer. No
democrat was ever deceived into the
pellef that I would cooperate with
the Democrats in congress-
The senator related some incidents
10 account for his Democrat friend
ship. Most dramatic was his recital
OF his first acquaintance with Alder
man "Hinky Dink'' Kenna, who when
i-orlmer was bootblack and news
boy, compelled at the age of ten to
earn his living on the street, came to
MS rescue and saved him from the
loss OF a bundle of Chicago Tribunes.
1t meant a loss of $3.50 to him, the
speaker said, and ''that dollar and a
haif meant more to me, Senator Root,
than a million dollars would mean to
some men now. I don't know whether
the senator from New York (RooD or
the senator from South Dakota
come up through circumstances like
Senator Crawford rose to his feet.
The interest was intense, every person
in the galleries leaned forward, many
rose.
MIR. President, does the senator
imagine himself the only senator who
came up through hardship and pow
erty? Is he appealing for sympathy
81 want no sympathy, shouted
Senator Lorimer. A great sigh passed
over the senate chamber.
Not Asking Sympathy.
This is not a question of sympa-
thv: it is question of right and
wrong. 1 am only wondering if some
senators understand how conditions
like these can give rise to lifelong
friendships.
1T is an easy matter to charge
wrong doing and I regret to say it is
ffnT-
In my opinion, the charge as against
a senator or member is more serious
than that of depriving man of life
or liberty.
Not even the Chicago Tribune has
dared charge me with bribery or cor
ruption. Never have I used dollar.
nor had the remotest knowledge of
the use of one dollar to promote an
election of mine either to the lower
house or to this
IF senators even suspect that 1 did
have knowledge of corruption in any
degree, 1 am very sorry, because, on
my word as a man, there never has
been a time that have been guilty of
that act; and never did give or know
of any person giving for me any prom
Use or any money or anything else for
anyone to vote for me; and my regret
is that anybody should think so.
Il claim for myself no virtues more
than those of other men; / have al
ways Lr1ed to i've so as TO retain the
confidence of the decent citizens of
my community and my state.
Il say [ may not have succeeded,
but have tried. If I have succeeded
no man will come to my door and lay
the charge of bribery or corrupt prac-
tees in my election, be it for myself
or anybody else.
IT regret, therefore, that there are
senators who feel they have been able
to find anything at all in my business
life, in my political, social or family
life that will justify him in having
suspicion that I have been guilty of
the charges they would lay at my
door.
Il say again, on my word as a man,
and as a. senator, that am not guilty
and that I have no knowledge in the
remotest degree that bribery or cor
ruption were practiced to gain seat
for me in this body, and I do not be-
lieve, whatever the Chicago Tribune
may say, or may have been able to
do by coercion, that votes were bought !
to send me to this senate"
With this peroratfon Mr. Lorimer
closed his speech, which evidently had ,
made a deep impression upon the
crowds of spectators. whether or not |
upon the senators who will have to
vote upon his case. Applause broke
forth in the galleries when he finish |
ed. It met with the inevitable rebulxe |
of Vice President Sherman in the !
chair