The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1911-01-13


easily bought under defective
form Of corrupt-practices act, which
permits of easy evasion. If man
has behind him large capital inter-
ested in his vindication, vindication
is easy.
I Particularly is this true in Illinois
where under the Pumping system
or accumulative voting one-third OF
the votes in Mr.. Brownies district
would suffice to elect and where I'M
der the bipartisan system he had
both republican and a democratic
following. In his evidence he stated
that he probably got nearly as many
republican votes as he did democrat
ic. (p. $3.50
The terrible extent to which brib-
cry of voters has gone in this nation
is exhibited by the indictment of
over a thousand citizens in Adams
County, Ohio, a state in which there
is defective contemporaries act
and machine rule. The Republic can
not last if such system is permitted
to continue. The time has come for
j reform and the establishment of hon
est government, and of the peoples
rule and of the overthrow of ma
chine rule.
i Mr.. President, under the circum-
stances l believe it my duty to the
people of Oklahoma, to the senate of
the United States and to the Ameri-
can people, to move the senate to de-
clare the so-called election of MI
Lorlmer void, on account of the cor
rupt practices above set forth.
1t is painful for me to perform
this duty ] should be glad to know
that Mr.. Lorimer was merely the vic
tim of uperserviceable friends; that
their use of the money and corrupt
practices was not known to him and
was not approved by him. | am glad
to say that with the exception Of the
evidence of Shepherd, Senator Lori
mer's personal knowledge of these
corrupt practices is not asserted by
any witness. In submitting the mo-
ton to the senate I do so upon the
record of the proceedings before the
senate comittee, and l am glad to
record the fact that no evidence ap-
peared, except in the Sheppard case,
directly involving Mr.. Lorimer. Mr..
Lorimer does not appear to have de-
MED the Sheppard charge, however.
II the Sheppard direct charge against
Mr. Lorimer We're the only record of
wrong doing, Sheppard being other
wise unworthy of belief, should re-
main silent believe, however, that
there was wholesale corruption and
bribery used in securing the election
OF Mr.. Lorimer, and that it has been
abundantly proven and that the eff
fort to break down the corroborating
mass of interviewer evidence above
cited by rebuttal has failed.
l believe If Mr. Lorimer should
retain his seat under these painful
circumstances, it would lower the
United States senate in the esteem of
the American people. l believe the
time has come when the American
people will approve stern measures
in dealing with bribery and with COR
rupt conduct in public affairs and
| think it better for all the people
that there should be an end made to
the election Of senators by the sin
lister commercial forces of the repub-
lie.
Mr. President, submit to the sem
ate that the time Las come for the
election of senators by the. direct
vote of the people, under the safe
guard of an honest and thorough
going corrupt practices act and pub
licity pamphlet such as Oregon has
| adopted, which gives an equal chancs
TO the rich man and the poor man,
and strictly limits the use of money
in the election Of senator's.
In view Of the fact that many
seats in the United States senate
are about to be determined by vari-
Gus legislatures, it is Of the highest
Importance that the senate of the
United States should give the coun-
try to understand that the election
Of Senator's shall be absolutely free
from bribery or corrupt practice.
In my opinion Mr.. Lorimer was
not the choice of the legislature Of
Illinois nor of the people of Illinois,
and his election, so called, is entirely
vitiated by the corrupt practices of
his supporters, was illegal and void
alb initio, and does not merit present
recognition.
1t is no longer William Lorimer
on trial but the senate itself is on
trial before the bar of the American
people.
1 submit the following resolution
for the consideration of the senate: