Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-01-09

/ Lorimer should not have been count
I ed Other senators who are known
/ to oppose the retention by Mr.. Lori
mer of his seat have not claimed that
more than seven votes were tainted.
+ The 10 votes condemned by Mr..
Owen and the reasons assigned by
him for his belief that they should
not have been counted were as fol-
( lows:
INCLUDES ALL.
Senator d. w. Holstlaw, who con-
/ fessed that he had received money
from Senator John Broderick; John
Broderick. because or mis- refusal TO
testify in the investigation on the
ground that his testimony might in
criminate him; Representative II. J.
c. Beckemeyer. who confessed to an
alleged corrupt agreement with Mi
nority Leader Lee O'Neil Browne
and to receiving money from Repre-
sentative Robert f. Wilson: Repre-
sentatives Michael s. Link and
Charles A. White. because of con-
fessions that they received money
from Browne and Wilson; Messrs
Browne and Wilson, because of the
testimony of others that they had
handled the alleged corruption fund;
the late Representative Charles S.
Luke, because of his presence in St.
Louis at the time the corruption
fund was said 10 have been distribut-
ed and the fact that he was known
to hage received an unusual sum of
money at about that time for which
his wife was unable TO account: Rep
resentative Joseph B. Clark, who was
also at St. Louis at about the same
time, and because of conversation
with others about the alleged corrup-
ton fund, and Representative Henry
A. Sifepirar3. who - saft 90 have
agreed to vote for Mr.. Lorimer be-
cause of the latter's promise to pre-
vent the appointments of certain men
as postmast ster at Jerseyville, Ill.
ANALYzEs TESTIMONY.
The testimony of these men or
that Of others in relation to their
conduct was analyzed by Mr.. Owen
at great length and he said that in
his opinion the record of bribery and
corruption set forth by him could
not be broken down "on the theory
that the men who received the
bribes were unworthy OF belief on
their confessions and their testimony
against the bribe givers was un-
worthy of credit" He contended
that the tissue of substantial and
circumstantial evidence surrounding
the case made it impossible to re-
sist the belief that the confessions
were substantially true.
Under the circumstances attend
ing the election of Mr.. Lorimer by
the legislature of Illinois Mr.. Owen
said that he believed it to be his
duty to the people of Oklahoma. to
the senate of the United States and
to the American people to move the |
senate to declare the "so-called cleo /
tion OF Mr.. Lorimer void. on account I!
of the corrupt practices above set |
forth"
WOULD LOWER STANDARD.
AZ the close of his speech and in !
presenting his resolution declaring |
the election of Mr.. Lorimer to have !
been illegal and void, Mr.. owen !
said:
Il believe that there was whole /
sale corruption and bribery used in .
iAS tHt tIttRlbn VI All- Alot -
mer and that 1t has been abundant
" proven, and that the effort to
break down the corroborating mass
Of interwoven evidence above cited
by rebuttal has failed
~ believe if Mr.. Lorimer should
retain his seat under these painful
il would lower the
United States senate in the esteem of
the American people. 7 believe the
time has come when the American
people viii approve stern measures
in dealing with bribery and with
conduct in public affairs,
and I think IL better for all the peo-
pie that there should he an end made /;
o the election of senators by the sin
ster commercial forces of the re-
,ubIir J.