The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1911-01-10
OKLAHOMAN SCORES
SENATOR LOR|MER
Senator Owen siezes Opportunity Of
fered in Lorimer to Urge Election
of Senator by Popular Vote.

Washington, Jan. 10-The first gun
in what is expected to be heated fight
to reject the report of the senate COM
mittee on privileges and elections and
declare the election of William Lori
mer as a senator of the state of Illi-
nois to be illegal and void, was fired
yesterday by Senator Robert L. Owen
OF Oklahoma. He seized upon the op-
portunity offered to make an argu-
ment in favor of his resolution for a
constitutional amendment so as to pro-
vide for the election of United States
senators by popular vote.
A scathing arraignment of the man.
ner in which Mr.. Lorimer was elected
was made by Mr.. Owen, who asserted
that testimony taken by the commit
tee which investigated the case show
ed that at least ten vote of the 1O8
received by Mr.. Lorimer should not
have been counted Other senator's
who are known to oppose the reten-
ton by Mr.. Lorimer of his seat have
not claimed that more than seven
votes were tainted. The ten votes
condemned by Mr. Owen and the rea-
son assigned by him for his belief
that they should not have been count
ed were as follows:
Senator D. W. Holtslaw. who con-
fessed that he received money from
Senator John Broderick; John Brod-
erick, because of his refusal to testify
in the investigation on the ground
that his testimony might incriminate
him; Representative H. ]. C. Becke-
meyer, who confessed to an alleged
corrupt agreement with minority lead
er Lee O'Neill Browne and to receiy-
ing money from Representative Rob-
ert E. Wilson, Representatives
Michael s. Link and G. A. White, be-
cause of confessions that they had re-
ceived money from Browne, and VIII
son; Messrs. Browne and Wilson, be-
cause of the testimony of others that
they had handled the alleged corrup.
ton fund; the late representative
Charles S. Luke, because of his pres.
enee in st. Louis at the time the cor
ruption fund was said TO have been
distributed and the fact that he was
known to have received an unusual
sum OF money at about that time for
which his wife was unable to account.
Representative Joseph B. Clark who
was also at st. Louis at about the
same time, and because of congerya.
tions with others about the alleged
corruption fund, and Representative
Henry A. Shepherd, who is said to
have agreed to vote for Mr.. Lorimer
because of the latter's promise to pre-
vent the appointment Of certain men
as postmasters at Jerseyyille, HI.
The testimony of these men or that
others in relation to their conduct was
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
1own "on the theory that the men who
received the bribes, were unworthy
1f belief on their confessions and their
testimony against the bribe givers was
Unworthy of credit" He contended that
he tissue of substantial and eircum-
'tantial evidence surrounding the case
made it impossible to resist the belief
hat the confessions We're substantial
y true.
Under the circumstances attending
he election of Mr.. Lorimer by the
legislature of Illinois, Mr. Owen said
hat he believed it to be his duty to
ne people of Oklahoma, to the senate
the United States and to the Ameri-
an people to move the senate to de.
lare the "so-calied election of Mr..
'orimer void, on account of the cor
apt practices above set forth"
In conclusion Mr.. Owen said:
Il believe If Mr.. Lorimer should re-
ain his seat under these circumstances
would ltwer the United States SEN
to in the esteem of the American PEG
le.
i believe the time has come when
lie American people will approve
.ern measures in dealing with brib-
" and with corrupt conduct in pub
affairs and think it better for all
le people that there should be an
Id made to the election of senators
? the sinister commercial forces of
e republic"