The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-06
Cases of Ba||inger and LOri- ner May Yet Result
 In An Upheava|
.LOUIMER'S CASE HOLDS
 ATTENTION 0F SENATE
Instead of Abiding By the Scotch Ver- dict Senator's Declare That They VIII Closely Examine the
 LOrimer Testimony
BY wATTERsON sTEALEY

Washington, January 5.-(Special )-The whitewash brush is going to play no in- significant part on the legislative bill- board during the remainder of the ses- sion. Regardless of the practical unan- unity of the committee which exonerated Senator Lorimer. public sentiment is forcing into line a dangerous number or senators, and it Is not beyond the range of possibilities that the committee will find itself out-voted
 Over on the House side Secretary Bal finger will be the whitewash subject. and what action the House will take on his case will attract as much attention as tho Senate's disposition of MT. Lorimer. The House branch of the Balinger commit tee split even in the case of Secretary Ballinger. Three republican members voted for the application of the brush. while one republican and two democrats opposed it. The report is now pigeon- holed in the committee agriculture, but the anti-Ballinger people say it has got to come out
 The Lorimer discussion in the Senate is going to prove a big drawing card Sem ator Bailey of Texas, who is conceded to be the best lawyer in the Senate, signed the Lorimer report, and he will natural ly be the main defense of the committee on the floor. One of the senator's friends, in describing his attitude today, said that the Senate committee considered the Lori- mer case from a strictly legal stand point and was unable to trace to the senator the guilt of bribery. The question thar txha ha of rupting and corrupted members of the legislature was sufficient to overturn Lorimer's constitutional majority. The committee found that it was not. Senator Bailey is said to contend that there can be question that majority of quorum. not d majority of the mem bership of the legislature elects a seavtor, and with the vtiated vote thrown out. Lorimer still has majority of quorum. They add further that if a majority of a legislature rather than majority of a quorum is made the precedent for elect ing senators, it usually rests in the hands of very few men to prevent any elec- tion
 While the Lorimer committee may have the law on it's side it is certain that the Scotch verdict rendered has caused a pronounced revulsion of feeling through out the country. This sentiment Is re- flected by the individual views of mem- bers of the Senate. Instead of following the report of the committee, which is al- most the invariable rule of the Senate, especially In cases where there Is prac- tical unanimity, senators declare their in- tention to closely examine the testimony before voting. This clearly indicates that when the time comes the committee may ha 1Aff l.s dx-tr x~tetx out warrant of law Lorimer will be busted or put in such a position that he will be forced to resign.
 Congress Is sometimes very responsive to public sentiment and the corruption bribery exposed at Springfield Is causing widespread demand for the unseating of the man who profited by 1t.
 BeveridEe Will Take Action
 Washington, January 5.-The adjourn ment of the Senate until Monday on ac- count of the death of Senator Elkins, made material changes in the plans of those opposed to Senator Lorimer being permitted to retain his seat. It was ex- pected that Senator Owen would speak today in criticism of the report of the committee on privileges and elections and that he would introduce a resolution to declare the election of MT Lorimer il-
 
 however, makes 1t possible for Senator Reveridge to complete a minority report and 1t Is now believed that he will sub init such report Monday and make a speech upon It.
 There Is some question now whether Senator owen or Senator Beverdge will fire the first gun in the fight against Mir Lorimer. If Senator Beverdge Is ready Monday, and 1t is said he will be, the general impression is that Mir. Owen will step aside and let the Indiana senator speak first. Mir. Owen is understood to desire to speak against MT. Lorimer be- cause the show Of corruption in the Ili- nos legislature seems to offer good argument in support of the Owen reso- lution for a constitutional amendment to provide for the election of Senators by direct vote.
 There are evidences on the floor Of the Senate that the senators are being asked to take sides in the Lorimer case and every indication points to a long and heated debate before 1t Is disposed of