New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-05-27
LOR|MER INQUIRY FAVORED
Bailey Says All Democrats want
Second Investigation.
REPUBLICANS ALSO FOR u
Vote. Delayed by La Toilette s
Long Speech, May Be
Taken Monday.
from The Tribune Bureau

c.,ate IN reopen the investigation or
,ho election Of Senator Lorimer was mace
clear to-day in speeches rejecting pracu-
ally tho unanimous view of the Democratic
a,d Republican sides of the cnamner' AZ
tho close Of Senator La Folle'tes io"s
,neech senator Bailey. on the part oI NV
democrats. declared that. in view VI 'i''
discovery Of new testimony ana Tue i''o
,ution adopted by the Illinois senate ever!
Do,,ocratic Senator favored oiec' anu
thorough inquiry. The same seh'''''e"' ="
the mart Of the Republican size was
nrcssed by Senators Dillingham; anu po'""
The only obstacle 10 decisive action on
tho question was the determination vi sen
ator Ia Toilette to prolong his speech ii0
has already occupied four days III se''ihe
forth his ideas lie used the Lorliher case
TODAY as a peg on which TO hane MS a"-
,ocacv OF the abolition of party caucuses
and. conventions. the popular eIectio" y.
senators. the nomination OF Presioehtia'
candidates by direct vote the lnltiauNe' inc
referendum and the recall. lie also pro-
rosed an amendment to his resolution ny
which he undertook to choose the members
Of the investigating committee proViuiiis
,bat tho selection Of the committee be iel'
ga tho Senate In this he is not likely 10
he eunnorted by more than dozen votes
THE Martin resolution. substantially the
,sne as that offered by senator Dliins
han, will have the support Of majority
of both Democrats and Republicans ms
directs that the investigation be mace ny
tho entire committee on Privileges ana
Elections.
Tho chief subject of contention IN to-
da,.'s debate was the method or making
,bc Investigation. resulting from the deter
r,instion Of Senator La Toilette TO pose as
Tho chief opponent Of Lorimer. In support
of his effort TO have the Senate select the
committee. thereby ignoring the STANDING
Committee on Privileges and Elections. Mr..
Ia Fnuette cited several instances he al
lc-ed tn ne prccedents. but Senator Dilling-
lam Immediately pointed out that before
1871 there was no standing Committee on
PRIVILEGES and Elections. but that every
case which had arisen since that time had
hoen referred 10 the standing committee.
senator Borah although intimatins that
hc wound support the la Toilette resolu-
tion. said he did not entirely share the
views Vt the Wisconsin Senator lie APP
rosled for a reoponng Of the investigation
>
itself of the charges affecting its integrity.
IN order that the idea Of representative
Government might be strengthened and re-
leved Of the suspicion that attached to 1t
through the Lorimer case. Senator Dill
bingham confined himself to the merits OF
tho question before the Senate, and Sena-
tor Bailey took occasion TO oppose the ideas
Of Senator La Toilette. Discussion of the
u
the hone that Mr. La Toilette will permit
II 10 he disposed Of on that day.
La Toilette Attacks Caucus Rule.
Senator La Toilette announced that
when the voting stage is reached he will
50 change his resolution as TO provide that
the Senate shall elect an investigating
committee Of five from among the new
Senators Senator Borah supported the
proposition and Senators Bailey and Dill
lincham opposed II.
In HIS sreech Mr.. La Toilette attacked
caucus rude and denounced the practice Of
selecting standing committees by caucuses
as un-American He predicted that the day
would come when the Senate would dis
pcnse entirely with the secret caucus and
mophescd the general adoption Of the
initiative referendum and recall with
the recall i'm usc," he said. mo jackpot
politician can hold his commission against
the wishes Of the people he misrepresents."
He said he had been Influenced 10 intro
duce his resolution for a special committee
Of inquiry by following the Illinois investi-
cation. New investigators had been pro-
vided for because he believed the question
should 20 TO committee not handicapped
by previous decision. The next investi-
eating committee. he felt. must have the
confidence of the people. which he did not
believe the old standing Committee on
Privileges and Elections would have. The
public. he said. would consider the old
committee packed from the beginning, as
had been charged in connection with the
Illinois iuries in prosecutions growing out
Of the case.
Mr.. La Toilette said that il he were a
member OF the old committee ne would not
consent to serve on the new committee. be-
cause he would not feel capable Of an i'm
partial verdict
In that event" asked Senator Bacon,
would not the Senator from Wisconsin
and myself he precluded from voting on
The case i'm the Senate because in the pre-
vlous case we voted against Mr.. Lorimer? -
Mr. La Toilette replied that there was
vast difference between sitting a. final
fudge in the Senate and i'm going out 10
Investigate the case.
"A study OF the ten bribery cases tried
here in recent years" said Mr.. La Toilette.
"discoses the growing tendency toward
the establishment Of presidents which
make il increasingly difficult to convict
except in cases where the proof is over
whelning and notorious. The decision in
the Lormer case makes another of those
unfortunate precedents. In some respect.
II stands alone-a lurid page in the history
Of lowered Senatorial standards"
Baiey's Change Of Front
Mr. Bailey declared that the public senti-
formed. because it had been formed by
newspaper expression rather than by read
ing the testimony.
"If We have saved the seat Of a guilty
man. he said. we owe reparation and We
shall be ready 10 make it," He warned the
Senate not to he "swayed by mere public
clsmor"
Chairman Dillingham; of the Committee
On Privileges and Elections expressed con
hdence that if the investigation should he
placed in its hands IL would present a re-
port that would command the respect Of
the Senate and the country.
Senator Borah advocated a special com
mittee in the interest OF disnterestedness
lie regarded representative government as
at stake. and urged a searching and impair
tial inquiry.
The Lorimer case will be pressed again