The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-12
CHARGE DE BRIBERY
 IN SENATORSH|P M.l A Wisconsin Senator's Election
 Is Declared Void
REPORT TO GOVERNOR
investigation Committee Submits Find. fngs In Inquiry Into Primary Held to Settle Senatorial
 Race


 nation in the primary and the election to the United States Senate by the legis- lature of Isaac Stephenson Is null and void on account of the attempted brib- cry and the corrupt practices by him. self and his campaign managers, agents and workers and of violations of law of Wisconsin defining and punishing offenses against the elective franchise.
 This Is the gist of the findings of a senatorial Investigation committee in it's report submitted to Governor Francis E.. McGovern today.
 The report is signed by Lieutenant Gov ernor Thomas Morris, Senators Spencer w Marsh, republican and Paul Husting, democrat. The two republican members of the committee are members of the so-called progressive wing of the repub- hcan party and Senator Husting, the democratic member, calls himself a pro- gressive democrat
 Investigation Asked
 Early in the legislative session of 1909 resolutions were introduced in both houses, calling for an investigation of the senatorial primary election. The reso-
 
 States Senator Isaac Stephenson who, &C., cording to his report, filed with the sec retary of state. had expended over s107 900 during the campaign.
 Speaker Bancroft of the assembly named a committee composed of ma- Jority of republicans and Lieutenant GQy- ernor John Strange. who then presided over the senate, named Senator's Marsh, Morris and Husting. The committee met fn joint session for several weeks, when the assembly branch of the committee decided to go no further. The assembly members of the committee some time after 1t had decided that it's work was complete, rendered report recommending the enactment of law regulating cam paign expenditures. at the same time stat ing there was no evidence of corruption on the part of Senator Stephenson. Special Committee
 Following this a special resolution was adopted by the senate making the seaa tors named a special investigation com mittee to probe further into the primary election. Today's report and findings Is the result of that special committees s work.
 The three men signed the report.> as members of the senate in the joint legis- 1ative committee and as members of the special senate Investigating committee.
 Treated from the standpoint as having signed as members of the joint commit tee, 1t may technically be called a mi nority report. On the other hand, as the result of the work of special commit tee, it Is also an independent report.
 The assembly members of the Joint commission are scored for their failure to assist in a thorough investigation of the Stephenson nomination and election Among the statements in the report on this point is one saying:
 Throughout the investigation the as- sembly members of the committee persist enly endeavored to prevent the investiEa- tions of Isaac Stephenson.''ss vY-
 Report to Governor
 The report was submitted to Governor McGovern about 10 minutes before Sen- ator Marshs term as state senator ex- pired. MT. Morris, while no longer 0 member of the senate. having resigned his seat to become lieutenant governor signed the report as a member of the Investigating committee. The committee recommends that copy of the report be certified to the United States Senate by the governor and the legislature with the request that that body investigate the manner and means by and through which Isaac Stephenson procured his cleo tion to the United States Senate for its action thereon.
 The committee further recommends that the proper state officials commence pros- ecution against all persons shown by the evidence to have been guilty of corrupt practices or bribery in the campaign.
 StephensOn's Statement
 Washington. January 11.-Senator Ste phenson at first declined to make any comment on the news from the Wisconsin state capital that charges of violation of the election laws have been filed against him with the governor. Later he gave out the following statement:
 "The report of the majority of the leg islative committee was made at the ses- sion of the legislature held two years ago. The committee after an exhaustive inves- tigation exonerated me and those con- nected with the campaign of these charges. The report made is by three of the old committee, who refused to concur with the majority. They did not then submit . report. but have waited until legislature had been elected which they regard as favorable to their plans Two of them are no longer members of the legislature. I have not yet seen the report. So far as the charges come to me they are without foundation and who'll