The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1911-06-03
SENATE INSPIRED
BY LOR|hER AFFAIR
TO SEEK CURB LAW
Would Redeem Confidence
With Corrupt Prac-
tees Act.
BY JUDSoN C. wELLIvER.

A rigorous corrupt practices act will
be one Of the results of the Lorimer
scandal
This is the expectation Of Congress
sional leaders as a result of the action
of the Privileges and Elections Com
mittee in naming a subcommittee to
draft such a measure. The committee
especially its veteran members VINO
took part in the Lorimer inquiry last
session, are anxious TO rehabilita:r
themselves in public confidence, of
which they lost more than a little be-
cause Of that proceeding. Fhe result
Is that the present is regarded as the
psychological time TO press for a real
corrupt practices code
New members of the committee are
more than willing to take advantage of
this situation, and Senators Renyon and
Kern are hard at work outlining a
measure that they think will prevent
scandals in Federal elections in future,
IL is realized that corrupt practices
code which will have a useful effect will
have to clip the wings of the Congress
sional campaign committees, as well as
the national committees. The Congress
sional committees in recent years have
political management. Under the chair
manship of the late Joseph w. Babcock.
of Wisconsin, the Republican committee
came to be regarded as a huge broker
age concern, dealing in political contri-
buttons and legislative favors.
Liberality Gets Favor.
The people who gave up literally got
the favors; those who did not loosen
with due and reasonable" alacrity were
likely to find troubles. The conditions
under Babcock approached close to
scandal in Washington, and the country
at large came in time TO realize that the
business of shaking the plum tree was
carried to excess under the old-faSh-
Toned management.
In 1908 both national committees
agreed to give the public an account
ing of contributions received, and they
did. The results were very disappoint-
ing in both cases, for when the lists
were printed IT was realized that a
malefactor could easily contribute his
money through an unknown clerk, his
wife's cousin, or his grandmother
aunt. If that was too liable to attract
attention and suspicion as to the real
source, he could divide up his 100000
contribution into twenty 5000 slices and
have each one given by a straw con-
trtbuter.
That is the sort of thing, among
others, that ii is desired to stop.
1t is proposed to make a measure just
as thorough as possible, and to this
end it will deal not only with elections
at which Federal offices are voted for,
but also with primaries.
The election of Senators, under the
present method, is the sticking point.
The Federal Government has no power
OF interference in the selection OF state
legislatures, because they are entirely
State officers: yet, once chosen, they
elect the Senators.
At this point comes in the demand !
for popular election of Senators. The |
Bristow and Sutherland amendments
propose to reserve TO the Federal Gov
eminent strict right of supervision over
Senatorial elections when they are
made direct. The amendment in prob
ably the Bristow form is almost certain
to be adopted; and if adopted 1t viii
prejudice the South against the Whole
plan, and may cause the defeat OF
popular elections by enough State legls-
iatures to prevent its ultimate success.
Effective and Drastic.
So far as is now possible, however.
the committee proposes to draft a meas
ure that will be effective and drastic.
While 1t is not possible to interfere with
the choice of State legislatures, the law
can provide against the seating of Sen |
atorS in whose election improper meth |
DDS have been used.
A Senator will thus become sort |
OF interstate commerce pTouuCI' llhe
one of Mr.. Armour's hams. The Fed |
eral Government doesn't insist that
hams shall be inspected in the pack |
ing; neither will it insist that Sena- |
tors shall be inspected in the making. |
But if a ham is made without inspec-
ton, 1t can't break into interstate |
commerce. Likewise with a Senator.
If he is made by the wrong process; |
II gentlemen of the Hines type busy |
themselves unduly in financing and |
his selection, then the |
Senate will have authority to keep |
him out of the Senatorial commerce.
1t is confidently stated that this is
the only regard in which resemblance
will be established between a (Sena
tor and a ham.