The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-03-02
Illinois Senator Retains His Seat by Vote of
 46 to 40
MOST BITTER FIGHT
 IN YEARS IS ENDED
Lorimer Makes Speech in Own D. fense After Being Sharply Att tacked-Intense Excitement
 As the Vote Is Taken


 Washington, March 1.-William Lor- inner retains his seat in the United States Senate. By vote of 46 to 70 that body today defeated the resolu- ton introduced by Senator Beveridgs declaring that the junior senator from Illinois had not legally been elected. The end of the case which for many months had beon before the Senate and has provoked one of the most bitter fights in that body for years-a fight in which the persona! equation served to heighten and intensity the feeling came shortly after i3O o'clock. | Promptly at that hour the vice pres- ident brought his gavel down sharply upon his desk and called for a vote on the resolution.
 The agreement entered into by the members yesterday called for the shut ting off of all debate at that hour and I the settlement of the issue by a vote.
 Senator LaFollette had the floor at the time and the rap of the gavel forced him to an ab,upt termination of his anii-Lorimer speech. The ayes and noes were sounded and the crowd ed floor and galleries followed the roll call with interest most intense. i Upon the conclusion of the roll call and the announceme nt of the result applause was heard from the galleries. while on the floor Senator Lorimer's friends hastened t. tender their con gratulations.
 Senators Arrive Early 1 The agreement reach edd yesterday just before the Senate adjourned that a vote on the Lorimer case would be taken a 80 o'clock brought senators to the capitol this morning more or less over the prospect of determining a matter which lmYd been threshed out on the floor for many weeks They were pleased also at :he prospects of trans acting urgent public business upon which action was imperative
 Not to the members of the Senate Twas interest in the days proceedings confined. Although the hour fixed for the convening of the body was Ii o'clock, visitors began arriving at Q. l Long before the hour for converting had come it vas clear the corrldors would be thronged during the day. or at least until after the vote on the Lor- inner case had been taken.
 When, at II o'clock, the Senate con vened with Il large attendance O. mem bers, most of the senators appeared anxious to expedite business with | view to getting at the Lorimer case at the first possible moment. Senator Stons was an exception. He insisted upon full reading of the long journal of yes lterday and upon most minute attention to all details.
 |
 Owen Criticises Lorimer
 MT. Owen criticised Mir Lorimer for not appearing before the investigation committee. He declared the question was not so much seat in the Senate, as to whether the Senate should stifie bribery and corruption or encourage such practices.
 We should not rest until we have dug up the jackpot by the root" he said, I and read telegram from Governor De- neen opposing I.orlmer.
 | Denounclng the influences in operation at Springfield as evil and sinister, the Oklahoma senator declared that tho | same forces were in operation and had been exposed in San Francisco. Dem ver St. Louis, Pittsburg. Harrisburg ami | Albany where he declared there had been thievish combinations.
 By this time a large number of se-S ators had left the chamber. Mir. Owel exclaimed vehemently: 'I appeal again. the Senate to the people. l am not spc.l U ing to the Senate: l am speaking to | masters of the Senate. masterful han. will place itself on the Senate and will purge it of those of its members whD don't respect the will of the people" | Apparently in the face of much eoppo- sitlon from his own state, Senator Sim mons of North Carolina declared that on the evidence taken he could not justify himself in voting to have Lorimer dis | placed. He said, though he thought there were fraudulent schemes for leg islation praetced in the Illinois legisla- ture.
 Lorimer Innocent of Bribery | "I don't believe. however," exclaimed | MT. Simmons. that the senator from Illinois bribed anybody to cast vo.e for him. and don't believe the evidence 1 is sufficient to warrant us in believing that anybody was bribed by anyone for | that purpose. I cannot give my vote to destroy the character of any man that has been adduced by the committee. T, do so l should be compelled to perjure my conscience
 Il To the surprise ot the Senate Mir. Lori mer was the next man on the floor. He referred to Governor Deneen's telegram that had been read by Senator Owen. MT. Lorimer declared this telegram in itself verified all the statements about | the Illinois situation that he rad made in his defense before the Senate. He said that all his statements could be snb- stantiated by, the official journal of the Illinois legislature except his declaration concerning Deneen's alleged use of pat ronage which he had verified by telc grams from Speaker Shurtleff, Represen- tative Brownbeck and Mir. Ford, whicn were read into the record yesterday.
 Lormer went on to declare that Senator Owen, who had just bitterly attacked nim, had been industrious in procuring telegrams to refute the statements made by Lofimer to the Senate few days ago. but that MT. Owen had read one telegram which was favorable to Iori- mer's contentious verified Loriners statements The message referred to was from State Senator Hearne to Owen. Mir Lorlmer declared that In all fairness all teleSrams bearing on the case should be read: that there should be no discriin- nation.
 Senator Smith of Michigan succeeded Senator Lormer in addressing the Sem ate The senator told of his profound respect for the word of Senator Lorimer and for the judgment of Senator Bur rows However. pernsal of the record of the case had led him to differ with the gentlemen.
 LaFollette Speaks Senator I.aFollette spoke briefly. iie admonished the senators that while their