Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1911-03-01
MAKES LONG APPEAL TO HOLD
HIS SEAT, DENYING ALL
CHARGES.
HOUSE BEGINS PUSHING WORK
Three Big Appropriation Bills Are
Quickly Passed-Extra Session
May Be Called
March IS.

Quickly Passed-Extra Session
May Be Called
March IS.
Washington, D. G. - William Lori
mer OF Illinois made his defense
against the charge that his election to
the senate Of the United States was
accomplished by the bribery and cor
ruption Of the legislature of the state
Of Illinois.
His defense was general and en-
phatic denial, deliverd with more than
ordinary eloquence and fervor.
There was no vote. Immediately
upon the conclusion of Mr.. Lorimer's
speech the senate went into executive
session on the Japanese treaty. and
the answer to the Lorimer speech
which Senator Beveridge was pre-.
pared to make went over. Nobody
knows when vote will be reached.
Replies to Senators. ..
During the more than four hours
that Mr.. Lorimer occupied the floor,
he reviewed practically all the charges
which have been made against him.
His statement was in the nature both
of testimony and of pleading. He re-
Trained from attempt to analyze the
testimony, but devoted his attention
entirely to the arguments of other
senators against him.
He took up in turn the opprobrius
differences drawn from the intimacy
with Speaker Shurleff and Lee O'Neil
Browne, his attendance upon the ses-
sions of the Illinois legislature, and
his presence in Shurtleff's rooms, IN
dertakfng to show that in each in
stance his course had been natural and
in the line Of the performances of 9TH
er public men under like circumstance
eS.
He explained his Democratic support
on the grounds of long standing per-
sonal friendship for himself and of
antipathy for Senator Hopkins, who
was his principal antagonist in the
senatorial contest.
Makes Sweeping Denial.
Mr.. Lorimer's peroration was as fol-
lows:
1T is an easy matter to charge
wrong-doing and regret to say that it
is an easy matter for many to be-
lieve. In my opinion the charge as
against a senator or member is more
serious than that Of depriving a mar
of life or liberty. Not even the Chi
cago Tribune has dared charge me
with bribery or corruption. Never
have I used dollar, nor had the re-
hottest knowledge of the use of one
dollar, to promote an election Of mine,
either to the lower house or to this.
1t senators even suspect that I did
have knowledge Of corruption in any
degree 1 am very sorry, because on
my word as a man there never has
been time that I have been guilty
Of that act; and I never did give, or
know of any person giving for me,
any promise or any money or anything
else for anyone to vote for me, and my
regret is that anybody should think
so. I claim for myself no virtues more
than those Of other men; I have al
ways tried to live so as to retain the
confidence of the decent citizens of
my community and my state.
II say may not have succeeded,
but I have tried. If I have succeeded,
no man will come to my door and lay
the charge of bribery or corrupt prac-
tice in my election, be it for myself or
anybody else. I regret therefore that
there are senators who feel they have
been able to find anything at all in my
business life, in my political, social or
family life, that will justify him in
having even suspicion that I have
been guilty Of the charges they would
lay at my door.
Il say again, on my word as a man
and as senator, that I am not guilty
and that have no knowledge in the
remotest degree that bribery and cor
ruption were practiced to gain a seat
for me in this body, and I do not be-
lieve, whatever the Chicago Tribune
may say, or may have been able to do
by coercion, that votes were bought to
send me to this senate"
Lorimer Cites Allegations.
The Lorimer controversy first began
to assume definite shape on May %,
1910, when. Lorimer arose to a ques.
ton Of personal privilege and called
attention to certain newspaper allega-
tons. These declared that the legis.
lature of Illinois had been improperly
involved by the use of money and
that Lorimer, the beneficiary, had
guilty. knowledge that democratic
votes had been purchased for him.
After denying all charges preferred
against him, Lorimer demanded an in
vestigation. At the conclusion of his
speech, he offered a resolution in
structing the committee on elections to
examine the allegations recently made
in congress, charging that bribery and
corruption were practiced in the cleo
ton of William Lorimer.
HAS NO COUNTRY.