The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-05-26
4 LUR|D PACE IN
ANNALS OF SENATE
Thus La Toilette Describes
Decision in Lorimer
Case
PEOPLES RULE NOT A
"RULE OF THE MOB"
Constitutions but Instruments
for Execution of Popular
Rule; Failing They
Will be Changed

WASHINGTON, D. c., May &c.
Declaring that the honor of the nation
Is at stake and pleading for an in
OUR. 5y five new senators. who have
not yet recorded their sentiments in
the case. Senator LaF'ollette tRepub-
hcan), OF Wisconsin, concluded his
speech on the Lorimer case in the
senate to-day. He predicted that
betrayal of the public trust" will
hasten the destruction of ''represen-
tauve government" and cause the
complete establishment of direct legis-
lation by the people; direct elections.
the initiative, the referendum and the
recall
In asserting that new evidence com
PEELED the senate to make d second
investigation into the charges that
William Lorimer was elected to the
senate from Illinois by bribery, La
Toilette said in part:
1T is a deeply significant fact that
Tor seventy years after this govern
ment was established. the United
States senate had never been hunt
lated by cali to investigate a charge
OF corruption in the election OF one OF
its members.
Since that time eleven senators
have been summoned to the bar OF
the senate x defend against the
charge of bribery. In recent years
the allegations OF fraud and corrup-
ton In connection with the election OF
United States senators have been rife
In scores of legislatures where the
positive and direct evidence, always
so difficult to secure in bribery cases.
has failed to warrant filing formal
charges.
A Lurid Page.
"A study OF the ten bribery cases
| tried here In recent years discloses
the growing tendency toward the es-
tablishtng OF precedents which make
Ii increasingly difficult to convict. ex-
cepting IN cases where the proof is
overwhelming and notorious
The decision in the Lorirner makes
another of these unfortunate prece-
dents In some respects IL stands
aione--a lurid page in the history OF
lowered senatorial standards
Blind indeed the men who will not
see the certain and inevitable result
The abolition OF caucuses and con-
ventions and the nomination of all
candidates by direct vote the election
of United States senator's by direct
vote. the nomination of presidential
candidates by direct vote, the tnitia-
tive, the referendum and the recall
all these are but the logical outcome
of the betrayal of public trust by pub
lie officials
There has grown up scorn and
! a contempt for the plain citizen. II
| has become common tn refer TO the
people as q mob and the peoples
| rule as the rule of the mob
CONSTITUTIONS and statutes and all
| the complex details of government are
/ but instruments created by the citizen
/ for the orderly execution of his will.
| Whenever and wherever they fail. they
will be so changed as to make them
| effective to execute and express the
well considered judgment OF the ciu-
zen.
| People Are Supreme.
For over and above constitution
| and statutes. and greater than all Is
| the supreme sovereignty of the peo-
| ple'
/ We need not far This Is tke peo-
/ pies gORernment They will not de-
| stroy IL They will not permit or
/ ganized privilege TO destroy its vital
principle They. will Restore and for
| ever preserve II as a government that
| shall be truly representative OF the
! will Of the people.
They know that the initiative and
| referendum will place in the hands
| OF the people the power to protect
| themselves against the mistakes or In
| difference Of their representatives in
! the legislature. Then II will always
| be possible for the people to demand
direct vote, and 10 REPEAL bad
| law which the legislature has enacted,
| or TO enact by direct vote a good
measure which the legislature has re-
fused 10 consider .,.- i.
No jackpot Politician
THE recall will enable the people
| to dismiss from public service q repre-
| sentative whenever he shall cease to
serve the public interest. Then no
| jack pot politician can hold his office
| In defiance of the viii OF a consti-
tuency whose commission he has dis
| honored.
| Wherever representative govern
ment fails, Il fails because the repre-
sentative prove incompetent or false
to his trust. Intrenched In Office for
| his full term. his constituency IL
| IMPROVED PULLMAN SERVICE,