The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1911-01-22
BAILEY AND LoRlMER

An esteemed Republican c1atem-
pafary is ol tae opinion lAat Senator
Bailey championship of Lermf
r.gat ~ seaf wil 60 into hisi9g5
as one M fhe Democratic mistaKe
lH tAe present crisis. m8y He ask
Mny2 The question should be one Of
iga and precedent aud ony ON the
upp0st,0n Mat the senate achnowl-
edges nO laN ln l.s decisions as ID
lis qlalteaf joins f0r membership can
$ Judge iAe action of senator as
a question "a parts or ai expedieueg.
9 can easlif be shown tHat tAe SEM
ATE acdnoW lodges nD law in such a
case end has frequently broken its
oM0 precedent shall we conclude
on taAs account tAat senator SHOULD
ial 9n account Uf PARTY eXpedleHcs
- deleld tHe right az be- sees IL. The
charge 0n 2hica L0imer ia being
tried have often been made against
senators on equally good authority
without egen au inveslig igatiOn; why
sAoHla l0rimer Be made 4 seapegoai
i seems necessary ID suppose that
.4e Texas senator sees some great
constitutional principle u peril hat
might easily be if it D3' tne purpose
rot our constitution and the object Of
our government ~ do exact Justice
to ali men Why should Lorimcf be
denied seat iu tAe senate Hpon proof
That votes Were bought Tor MIN with
oal evidence thal be was a party %
the purchase l q president has been
repeatedly admitted 10 the WHITE
house when ms participation aud his
knowledge was CLEARLY proved In the
case Jl Roosevelt oYer his own sigma
+ tife and without repetition OF the
sCieihn denial that was made 20 do
service III The caWragu2 II a presi-
dent c0ui1 not lawfully assume office
after buying votes he would be an
Illegal president, the acts of a mesi-
dent not lawfully elected wuald be in-
valid III the acts of Roosevelt were
declared invalid What would be the
consequences Now thai Republic
ans are SO careful to punish bribe-
glgers and bribe-iakers what excuse
can theg give FOR former and very
late combinations OF these ofienses
Is It more important to keep The SEN
ate chamber clean than to remove cor
runtion from the white house.
We are by no means anxious to see
I jDrlmer seated and we would rejoice
/ To see the senate take a rrmer and
more positive stand against bribery
in elections than it has done hlther
10 But we are by no means sure
tiat sporadic efforts in that duec.
iipu aiH serve any good purpose or
/ laat tne ends OF justice Will be pro
NOTED hy making flesh OF one man
and fish ol another under like ci.
eWuatanees Rather would we have
q declaration that lorimar must be
seated under precedents already es
tablishcd, coupled with a warning that
such preccdents VIII no longer be ac
cented as authoritative and a firm
stand for the right viii be taken foi
/ Che future; ia seltdeleHse the SEN
ate should investigate charges against
/ ITS members, but i should decide with
/ ont reference 10 party expedieneg 'og
10 policy-it should announce the law
1 and then enforce d. We believe that
! such an announcement would force
Mr. l.ofimer 10 resign his seat under
/ pressure of public opinion. bat it aid
not have such effect In The cases OF
Mr HAYES or Mr.. Roosevelt
As 10 the policy OF Senator Bailey's
4 championship We have mo- opinion TO
/ express Wc would have preferred
that ihe Democrats leave the TALKING
70 the Republicans while they c0ulin-
ed themselves % votes But when "a
senator has an opinion We would aot
deny him the rieht 10 express Il with
out making the issue party Ques-
ton before it had been taken up by
I tine party