Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-07
LEGAL ARGUMENTS ANSWERED

Carefully Goes Over Contentious
Made by Speakers in
Favor Of Lorimer.
II am irrcsstibly forced to the conclu-
sion that the system under which the
jackpot fund was distributed was put in
operation in this senatorial contest"
This is the conclusion of Senator Wes-
ley J.. Jones of Washington, expressed
in a speech in the Senate this afternoon,
in which he held the election OF William
Lorimer to the United States Senate was
illegal and void. He had quoted one
member of the committee on privileges
and elections that found Mr.. Lorimer's
election legal as admitting that there was
a Jackpot fund regularly used in the
Illinois legislature.
Under such condition of things what
would naturally happen?' continued Sen
ator Jones Those men who were look
ing for money for any act In connection
with their legislative duties would flock
around this jackpot fund and around
those handling it like vultures around a
dead carcass. When they came to the
fountainhead there was complete un-
without anything being said. All they
had to do was to do as they were asked
and then reward would come IN que
time.
Natural Assumption.
s.How natural it would be for these
men, interested in tho Jackpot fund. to
surmise that there would be part of this
fund used in the settlement of the sena-
torial contest which was carried on with
such bitterness, and how natural it would
be for those handling the Jackpot fund,
and who naturally would be intrusted
with any moneys to be used IN connec-
ton with the senatorial contest to APP
prpach those whom they knew were ap-
proachable in connection with the sena-
torial matter, and how natural 1t Wouiu
be for those approached to conclude that
the men handling the Jackpot fund ana
becoming interested in the senatorial
election were authorized to use a part or
this fund to assist in the settlement OIL
the Sena torial fight.
Il submit that this would be an IN
evitabIe conclusion. and that their prom
Use to vote for the man for whom these
distributors of the jackpot fund were
working would be based upon the natural
expectation that when the time came tor
distribution they would receive their part
Of any moneys that might be available IN
the senatorial contest, whether 1t were
kept in the jackpot fund or not. Demo-
cratic Leader Browne seemed TO be the
handler of the jackpot fund, and would
Of course feel justified in distributing 1t
10 those OF his followers who would vote
as he desired, and who he knew would
expect to be remembered. and they knew
he could be trusted, and most OF them
asked no questions before they voted,
and none when they innocently received
their money
Reviews Testimony.
After a view of the testimony. from
which he concluded that at least seven
Lorimer votes were corrupted, Senator
Jones proceeded to riddle with holes the
contention of the pro-Lorimer speakers
that this does not invandate the election.
What do these great lawyers con-
tendo" he asked. Their contention is
that if seven votes are tainted and there
tore to be rejected. We must not only re-
ject the tainted votes, but we must, nunc
D o tune eject the voters from the joint
assembly of the Illinois leeisi ~. -.
=. init. would be a high-handed pro-
ceediEg not warranted BY III
-. the Constitution, and beyond the pow
err of this mighty body.
THESE learned senator's contend that
those who cast these tainted votes We're
not really present in the joint assembly,
although they did in fact answer to their
names Wnen Ifle TOll was CdileI, did
even though one of them made a violent
speech, stating that you can not cash
dreams, the senior senator from Ken
lucky says they were mere excrescences
on that body'-referring to the joint as
sembly Of the legislature of 1llinois-or,
perhaps, more properly speaking. they
were mere derelicts and. having rejected
their votes and made mere eXcrescences
or mere derelicts of them, having bodily
elected them from the joint assembly, he
and his colleagues make that CONT as
sembly consist of only 1876 members, and.
as Mr.. Lorimer had 1ol votes left. ,hey
find that he had a majority OF this = nc
pro tune Joint assembly, and there. ore
was duly elected 1 do not dare char
ac:erize this argument, because l do not
want i'm any way to reflect upon the good
judgment and legal learning of these
great lawyers and senators. This argu-
ment does not appeal to me.
Calls Result Monstrous.
Under this theory. if Lorimer lad re-
ceived 1o1 votes and Hopkins 30 and
Stringer /. and it had been shown that
80 votes had been bought for Lorimer.
still he would have been elected. because
if these % 'excrescences' or 'derelcts'
were removed, the JOINT assembly would
consist of lH; members. of which Lorimer
would have - untainted votes, or a ma
ic tv of l. and We would have to declare
his election valid. | may be wrong. but
-. ..ot set .he consent of my mind to
the rule of law that would sanction such
a monstrouS result.
Senator Jones concluded by saving:
II have wished to sustain the verdict
of the ma ior;y Of this committe because
OF their learning and ability. their in
tegrity and patriotism. / have wished
- sustaln their verdict because of my
intimate association with Mr.. Lorimer in
the House OF Representatives. I have
wished to sustain it for the honor of the
great state of Illinois, in which / was
born and reared. but | am compelled by
my oath. under the facts as | see them
and the law as ! understand it, to vote
TO declare the election Of Mr.. Lorimer
illegal and void
A Meeting With Thomas Carlyle.
Ford Madox llueffer. in Harper's Magazine