Evening star., 1911-01-28
SENATE MAY PROBE OR|[[MASTER QUITS
Mr.. Watson of West Virginia
Not Certain of Seat.
TALK OF LORIMER THREAT
Friends of Illinois Senator Said to Be
Holding West Virginia Case
as a Club.

That there will he some inquiry into the
legality OF the election of Clarence ".
Watson as United States senator from
West Virginia. following the presentation
of his credentials in the Senate carr!
next week, is indicated at the Capitol
today. 1t is probable the credentials will
lie referred to the Senate committee on
privileges and elections for recommends
tion as to whether they should be ac-
cepted and Mr.. Watson sworn in or
whether they should he rejected.
Reports around the Capitol today credit
ed the friends of William Lorimer. whose
election is being seriously challenged,
with SAYING they will fight the seating
of this additional democrat il the demo
Gratis continue their opposition 10 Mr..
I,orimer Democratic senators who are
in the city today and who could be
seen, however, said they had heard moth
Move a Desperate One.
That's a desperate move.' remarked a
republican senator, who has been lighting
the legality of Mr.. Lorimers election
Its a double-edged sword. The oppo-
nents of Mr. Lorimer can rightly say that
the seating of both Mr.. Lorimer and Mr.
Watson by such deal, If they ought not
to be seated because of corruption In
their elections, would be carrying cor
ruption right into the Senate
There are several questions involved in
the Watson election. however, which may
lead to some inquiry by the Senate COM
mittee on privileges and elections. One
is the legal questio mas to whether the
fact that the upper house of the West
Virginia legislature was not organized
nValidates the election. Democratic mem-
bers of the committee have assured the
two newly elected West Virginia senators
that this fact does not affect the legality
of their ele ction if there was "A majority
of the members of both houses of the leg
islature at the joint session at which
they were elected and there is no queS-
ton that such a majority was present
In support of this view, the democrats
cite the Call case.
There the question was whether, for a
legal joint session. a majority of each
house must be present and participating
in the election, or majority OF the men,
bers of both houses, considered together.
The decision in the case was that a ma
jority of the total membership of both
houses was all that was required.
No Charges Filed Here.
Another question comes up because the
Governor of West Virginia has refused to
sign the credentials of the senators-elect
Inasmuch as he has based his action on
his contention that the upper house OF
the legislature was not organized, and
therefore the election was not legal. this
question may lead to much controversy.
A further challenge of the credentials
may be made on the basis of the corrup.
ton charges made at the West Virginia
capital at the time of the election. There
is nothing here at present, however, tc
indicate that the corruption charges will
be brought to Washington, and the West
Virginia legislature has started an in.
vestigation on its own accord.
The credentials of Mr.. Watson have not
been received in Washington, but they are
expected within day or two. It is like
ly that Senator Scott of West Virginia
will present them although he may de-
cline on the ground that the governor of
the state has not signed them.