The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-05-31
CURRENTCOMMENT
Clean Out the Senate,

The American people have. in the wears which
have passed since the close Of the war between
the States, heard much of political corruption
so much indeed, that any new revelation of the
kind has ceased to create surprise or extended
comment.
Corruption was so rampant Just after the
close OF the that II came to be looked upon
as a matter OF course; yet 1t is hardly fair 10
charge against the American people the In
famies OF that era because they followed upon
revolution and upon the overthrow OF long
established social, political and economic con-
ditions, and were perpetrated during period
of military and semi-rnilitary despotism, when
the people of a whole section were disfran-
ehsed and ignorance and venality en-
throned in power.
Conditions were then abnormal, and history
holds record Of any ether ouch end asg5'
of political corruption ruled In the South
from 1S65 to 1877. and 1t Is undeniable that the
Republican party was directly and solely respon-
sible for such conditions That this is true Is
a matter of common knowledge, and 1t is an
inheritance Of iniquity against which the Repub-
lican party not plead the statute of limita-
ton.
The Republican, party having contriXsd as
to fiji congress with senators who had pur-
| chased their seats Of corrupt legislatures. and
representatives Of like character and having
received and recognized such associates. and the
receiver being as bad as the thief, Il Is not
prising that the same method of getting seats
in the senate should have been adopted in the
North; and that 1t was adopted and has since
continued no honest man Will pretend to deny.
One Republican senator was deprived of his
seat few years ago because It was proved
he had boldly and unblushingly bought It, and
q half dozen senators could be named who
purchased their seats straight out If they
had bought a house and lot So the Lorimer
case has nothing OF the element of novelty. how
ever varied and Various may be its other char
acteristics and features.
In recent issue OF the Chronicle appeared
an excerpt from the blsterng article by Alfred
Henry Lewis IN the Cosmopolitan Magazine. on
the election OF Isaac Stephenson senator from
Wisconsin. In the course of the article Mr..
| Lewis presents Autographed copy Of the bin
! nf ty1adp md m
by Isaac Stephenson himself, and II shows that
he expended to be elected United States senator,
within a small fraction of $4,000
Now this is not rumor. or the reckless charges
OF enemies. or glittering generalities of charges
and misdong. but the sworn figures of the
didate who put up the money.
Now every knows that the people OF a
State which has sent to the senate such men
as Matt II. Carpenter. William F. Villas and that
sleepless foe OF corruption La Toilette, never
would have sent to the senate of the United
States a stupid. uneducated old money bag like
Stephenson had he not bought his seat. That he
/ did buy II honest man doubts In the face
of his confession that he put into the hands OF
his political agents $4,000 TO be used Iii
securing his election.
With such uncontradictabe evidence staring
the senator's In the face, 1t is astounding
as II rs shameful ana surprising that Stephen
is not molested. while Lorimer the un-
speakably corrupt boss and buyer of votes IN
stretched the rack. The one Is as guilty as
the other. and that both are covered with guilt
as with "a garment can net bett re clear TO every
fair-minded man.
The time has concluded, has been long at
hand-when the senate should be cleaned out
and purged or every man who has spent a
dollar to secure votes beyond those expenditures
which all men recognize legitimate
The EFFORT to unseat Lorimer loses its moral
| value 30 long as the same body calmly submits to
the presence of Stephenson. against whom the
proof OF corruption is plainly to be seen as
his physical person In chamber which he de-
files with his presence.-Houston Chronicle.
After hearing some women talk about Lent
one comes 10 the conclusion that 1t must be a
season set aside for them to get their corset
covers made tAtehison (Kan.> Globe.