Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-02-23

Continued from First Page)
for Hopkins that he urged the election
of Shurtleff, that he tried to get Gov.
Deneen to run; that all this took place
before he himself became a candidate.
Interesting as History.
''All this" said Senator Beveridge. 'is
important political history, no doubt. but
what has it to do with the alleged bribery
We now are considering?"
Mr.. Beveridge went on to remind the
ton showed why 1T was desired to elect
Gov. Dneen senator. Browne tells U.S.,
said he, that they would have been will
ing to elect Deneen in order to get rid
of him. Why did they want to eliminate
Gov. Deneen? AS to Hopkins and Shurt-
left. while it is of no possible conse-
quence, it may be suggested that a wise
political manager would throw votes to
Hopkins when they could not elect him
because that would mollify the real Hop
kins votes for any future plans. The sup
port of Shurtleff. when he could not be
elected, would have endeared him still
more than he already was. I make no
complaint of this view of that trans
action. for it was permissible strategy in
that kind of political manipulation which
election Of United States senator's
Inventor Of "Bellwether."
The speaker referred to, the general
amusement occasioned yesterday by Mr..
Lorimer's allusion to the ,"bellwether,"
but he added, the sitting member. made
one mistake in attGib4ting the invention of
New York. The person who first called
Nanny Abraham @the @bellwet4er Of the
Browne faction was Browne himself, as
the record shows. .. 81
"On purely, party. votes. when senators
come III from work in committees, it is
the loose practice to vote as his party
associates are, voting. But this does not
mean the surrender to. another's keeping
of. the vote which we are sent here to
cast. Only, upon knowledge the cues
tion, and our convictions derived from
that knowledge, Fall done done under our
solemn oath of office, should our votes be
cast. never understood that my oath
and duty as senator was that l am to
to the vote of any 'bellwether.' however
eminent, and utterly regardless Of an I'M
derstanding of the question | was. voting
upon. or.an opinion as to how that vote
would anect the millions of people whom
am supposed to be serving"
Valid and Invalid Votes.
The speaker declared that while the
sitting member had explained why
many votes We're cast for him, that is
not relevant to the validity of this cleo
tion. which is questioned on the ground
of the corruption of other votes.
Suppose the owner of many tracts Of
land was defending d suit against the
title OF one of these tracts of land, which
suit was based upon the charge of fraud
Would any court permit this land owner
to plead in answer to the charge Of fraud
as to his title to this particular tract OF
land that he had acquired other tracts
OF land without fraud?"
Turning to the assurances given yes
terday to the Senate by Mr.. Lorimer as
to his fair and courteous treatment OF
his democratic opponents, Mr.. Beveridge
gave such conduct his hearty approval
Said he; THAT plea l heartily approve.
1t shows his good sense. I have not
made partisan speech for score of
years. Time was when party denuncia-
ton took the place of argument. But
that time has passed away. thanks to
the intelligence and patriotism Of the
American people. Time has come when
all of our millions know that all of US
are fellow-citizens, equally DESTROYS of the
common welfare for our country. While
the sitting members kindness to demo-
Gratis Is praiseworthy. it is not material
in the question Of bribery. Many years
ago great writer of comic opera set
the English-speaking world roaring at
the familiar device Of a certain type OF
lawyers whose practice was to try to in
ffuence juries and courts by irrelevant
matter, and in derision Of this practice
the song became popular beginning:
Flowers that bloom in the spring.
ira ia. have nothing to do with the
caSe.'"