The Mena weekly star. (Mena, Ark.) 1904-1977, 1911-03-02
ADDRESSED SENATE
SENATOR LoRlMER TALKED FOR
FIVE HOURS IN OWN
DEFENSE.
WAS SENSATION OF The DAY
Large Crowd Heard His Appeal for
Acqulstsl-Speeeh Was Spectacular
Had Telling Effect on Audience
An Early Vote Is Looked For.

Washington. Feb. 24.--Whatever
the news may be, the days sensation
at the capitol was LorImer's speech
in his own defense
Incidentally. iorimer had the great.
est crowd OF the sixty-first congress.
Standing room In the galleries and
on tho floor of the senate and the
crowds outside packed four deep as
far in the senate corridors 4s an open
door could carry the sound OF the
speakers voice
House Came 10 Hear.
Il emptied the house TO bare
handful and even Speaker Cannon
did not remain to preside over that.
The entire capitol surged TO the SEN
ate chamber.
How powerfully the dramatic and
the sympathetic appeals to the human
mind in all grades of development.
Lorimers speech richly fulfilled the
expectation of the crowd II was dra-
datic and spectacular to degree.
And this without ranting.
II was perhaps the best petit jury
speech that the senate has heard in
many years.
Whether II made any profound i'm.
preston upon the dignified and intel
lectual senators cannot be stated but
Il Is doubtful II there is petit jury
In America that would not have
cleared him upon the effect Of his per
sonal appeal. The galleries certainly
would
Iorimers name has been linked for
decade with political corruption in
Chicago The evidence against him
In the senate is powerful and some
OF the ablest senators in America.
sitting as his judges in the senate.
have pronounced eloquent and logical
yerdcts against him. Other eloquent
senator's have defended him.
He Won the Crowd.
But when the genial hammered,
baby faced statesman took his seat,
after his five hours OF sustained ap-
peal, II would have been dangerous
10 those who opposed him to have
committed his cause then and there to
vote OF senators and spectators.
Beveridge OF Indiana bad executed
skilful bit OF strategy by which he
was permitted to follow and answer
I.orImer. But the handsome and bril-
liant senator from Indiana saw the
tremendous tide the Illinoisan had
created in his own favor and just as
skilfully Unanswered to postpone his
answering argument until to-day.
Lorimer's speech was not the
speech OF a statesman but II alum
dainty indicated his right to be class.
ed among the frat popular advocates
OF the west.
For weeks the senator on trial had
sat in the senate lisening quietly to
the speeches for and against him.
The sentleness OF his speech and the
modesty OF his manner had won him
many friends.
Resentment Against Root.
There seemed to be neither anger
nor resentment in his heart--a patti.
ent saint suffering political martyr
dom with a smile. He spoke from the
seat OF Taliaferro OF Florlda--one of
the railroad senators. Bailey, his
powerful defender, sat directly be.
hind him and by Bailey's side was
the strong grim visage of Old Ben
Tillman. broken and dropping in i'll.
ness, but rugged and compelling still.
Straight across the allies from Lori.
mer sat Beverage, who had 1ayed
him on yesterday. and far to the left
sat Elihu Root, against whom, as II
afterward developed all the caldrons
of the gentle Lorimer's private resent.
ment surged and rolled in bitterness
and wrath.