The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-05-25
WINNING HIS WAY
Senator La Toilette Has Prom
ise Of Democrat Support
For His Resolution on the Lori
mer Investigation.
HIS FOUR-DAY SPEECH
In Support of His Views Is
Brought to a Close.
Quotes Many Precedents inFavOr
of His Proposition.
HIS FOUR-DAY SPEECH

Washington, May 25.-A new turn
was given to the Lorimer case today
when a number of Democratic senators
declared in a party caucus called by
Senator Martin that they would support
the LaFollette resolution which would
place the conduct of the proposed new
inquiry in the hands of special COM
mittee of five new senators rather than
leave it with the regular senate com
mittee on privileges and elections. A
majority of the Democratic senator's,
however, are said to be in favor OF the
so-called Martin resolution framed at
meeting of the Democratic steering
committee several days ago. 1t was
also declared today that the Martin
resolution will have the support of the
regular Republicans when it is offered
as a substitute both for the LaFollette
and the Dillingham; resolution. The
Martin resolution enlarges the scope of
the new inquiry to include the now
famous jack pot fund at Springfield.
A four-day speech in opposition to
the retention of his seat by Senator
Lorimer was brought to close by Sem
ator LaFollette today. Mr.. LaFollette
advocated the adoption of his resolution
naming new members of the senate to
conduct a further investigation into the
case of Senator Lorimer.
Mr.. LaFollette said it was deeply
significant that for 70 years after this
government was established the senate
had never been humiliated by a call to
investigate a charge of corruption IN
the election of one of its members.
Since then II senators had been re-
quired to defend themselves against the
charge of bribery.
Review of Past Cases.
"a study of the ten bribery cases
tried here in recent years. said Mr.. La
Toilette, "discloses the growing ten
dency toward the establishing of
precedents which make it increasingly
difficult to convict except in cases
where the proof is overwhelming and
notorious. The decision in the Lorimer
case makes another of these unfortu-
nate precedents. In some respects 1t
stands alone-a lurid page in the his
tory of lowered senatorial standards.
''The abolition of caucuses and con-
ventions and the nominations of all
candidates by direct vote, the election
of United States senators by direct
vote, the nomination of presid entail
candidates by direct vote, the initia-
tive, the referendum and the recall
all these are but the logical outcome
of, the betrayal of public trust by pub
lie officials.
There has grown up a scorn and
contempt for the plain citizen. 1t has
become common to refer t. the people
as a mob and the peoples rule as
the rule of the mob
1.-The recall will enable the people
to dismiss from public service a rep
resentative whenever he shall cease to
serve the public interest. Then no
jackpot politician can hold his of
flee in defiance of the will of a con-
stituency whose commission he has
dishonored."
When Mr.. LaFollette introduced his
resolution providing that a new COM
mittee be elected by the senate to
make a thorough investigation of the
election of Lorimer, it was objected to
by members of the regular organiza-
ton on the ground that it was a re-
Election on the vice president and on
the committee of privileges and cleo
tions.
Cites Many Preccdents.
Mr.. LaFollette quoted many prece-
dents in support of his proposition to
name the members of the select COM
roittee in the resolution adopted by
the senate He urged that it was
nothing for the senate to take out of
the hands of it's presiding officer and
of standing committees the selection
of special committees to do a particu-
lar niece of work. He argued that
there was nothing either in the pro-
nosal he had made to the senate or to
fhe past record of the senate to sus-
tain the objection raised against his
raSo1ution. Senator LaFollette con-
cluded:
s'In asking that committee of new