Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1911-01-27

legislative campaign will be prose
cuted.
Illinois is still staggering from the
effects OF the Lorimer exposure. The
senate, too, is staggering under the
report of it's committee. The old
leadership of the senate under the d.
rection of Aldrich is no longer able to
hold its forces together and is seeking
for a means to escape from the Lori
mer report without humiliating the
committee. The report of the major
ity Of the committee was the kind OF
a report which the system senators
desired. 1t would never have been
presented If it was not believed that
1t would be adopted before the holi-
day recess.
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 that
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.
Senator Beverage concluded his
study of the testimony and prepared
minority report That report went
to greater length in its conclusions
than did the summing up of the testi-
mony made by Senator Frazier. 1t
was not content with stating that
there was bribery In the Illinois legis-
lature, but 1t went to the extent OF
saying that the evidence warrants
the conclusion that Senator Lerimer
had knowledge of what was doing in
the legislature. This is further than
any other member of the committee,
or Senator Owen in his analysis
of the testimony, went. Senator Bev-
eridge in his report represented the
views of the Progressive senators.
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 vote can be had upon
the direct question of declaring the
Lorimer seat vacant majority of the
senate will go on record to vacate the
seat. A motion to expel will not carry,
because such a motion requires two
thirds vote and 1t Is not possible to
get such 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 senator's Sen.
ator Aldrich Is credited with a desire
to have the matter referred back to
the committee. From the reactionary
viewpoint a great mistake was made
in ever letting 1t get out of the com
mittee
The Progressives will join Senator
Burrows In a fight against recommit
: ment. They will join Senator Beyer
idge in an effort to have the Lorimel
seat declared vacant. In this they
will not have the support of all the
Democrats. but they will be Joined b.
number of Republicans not In AM
sense Progressives.
| The longer the Lorimer discussion
|. continues the better the Progressive
will like 1t, not only for its campaign
influence upon the country but be
!. cause 1t will serve a good purpose II
the senate. The Gallinger ship sui
+ sidy bill is the unfinished business. I
will be fought by the Progressiyes. s.
e long as the senate is discussing Lori
! mer's case it will not have time t
take up ship subsidy.
Norris Proposes Two Changes.
While the senate has the center @
y the stage with the big issue, the hous
/ Progressives are preparing for tn
q fight which they must make In orde
+ to nail down the victory won In tn
n last session. Uncle Joe and his OF
s ganization have monopolized calende
Wednesday and suspension day b
/ ridiculous rulings, one being ths
when a bill is taken up 1t must b
d read at length Mr.. Norris of Nebrai
l. ka proposes that the rule be change
. SO as TO permit of reading a bill
title
l. More important is the other chang
!. proposed by Norris. which is to tn
s effect that there shall be no executiv
a sessions of any committee of tn
l. house and that record be kept an
Q published of the proceedings of a
" committee meetings. This cuts dee
n into the systems hold upon legisli
IT ton. The executive session of cor
1t mittees is the cloak which enable
Is the putting over of deals by whic
10 the public Is kept out Of its rights.
e 1t will be two or three weeks befoI
Q. the fight will come upon these amen
ments to the rules but 1t is the inte'
'r ton to force the fight and make III
n rules as nearly right as possible at tn
.e session. The votes upon this Norr
In resolution will gi,c another opportu
g. ity to separate the sheep from II
in goats in the Democratic as well as ii
i'd Republican membership.
{ climate. though. and felt comfortab
again.
u. Santiago was the cit where ha