The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1911-02-25
MAKES LONG APPEAL TO HOLD
HIS SEAT, DENYING ALL
CHARGES.
HOUSE BEGINS PUSHING WORK
Three Big Appropriation Bills Are
Quickly Passed-Extra Session
May Be Called
March is.

against the charge that his election to
the senate Of the United States was
accomplished by the bribery and cor
ruption of the Legislature of the state
Of Illinois.
His defense was general and EN-.
phatic denial, delivered with more than
ordinary eloquence and fervor.
There was no vote. Immediately
upon the conclusion of MIR. Lorimer's
speech the senate went into executive
session on the Japanese treaty. and
the answer to the Lorimer speech
which Senator Beveridge was pre-
pared to make went over. Nobody
knows when vote will be reached.
Replies to Senators.
During the more than four hours
that Mr.. I4orimer occupied the floor,
be reviewed practically all The charges
which have been made against him.
Fills statement was in the nature both
Of testimony and of pleading He re-
trained from attempt to anayze the
testimony, but devoted his attention
entirely 10 the arguments of other
senator's against him.
He took up in turn the opprobrius
differences drawn from The intimacy
with Speaker Shurleff and Lee O'Neil
Browne. his attendance upon The SEES
Bions OF the Illinois legislature, and
his presence in Shurtleff's rooms, I'M
dertakine to show tina, in each in
stance his course had been natural and
in the line of the performances of 9TH
ar public men under like circumstance
Bs.
He explained his Democratic support
on the grounds of long standing per-
antipa'hy for Senator Hopkins. who
was his principal antagonist in the
senatorial contest.
Makes Sweeping Denial.
Mr.. I.orimer's peroraton was as fol-
lows:
ut is an easy matter to charge
wrong-dojrg and regret to say that it
is an easy matter for many TO be-
lieve. In my opinion the charge as
against a senator or member is more
serious than that Of depriving a mar
of life or liberty. Not even the Chi
eago Tribune has dared charge me
with bribery or corruption. Never
have ! used a dollar. nor had The re.
hottest knowledge of the use of one
dollar to promote an election of mine,
either to the lower house OF TO this
If senators even suspect that ! did
have knowledge of corruption in any
degree | am very sorry, because on
my word as man there never has
been time that have been guilty
Of that act; and ] never did give, or
know of any person giving for me,
any promise or any money or anything
else for anyone to vote for me. and my
regret is thai anybody should think
Sc. ! claim for myself no virtues more
than those of other men: l have al
ways ,ried to live so az to retain the
, confidence of the decent citizens of
my community and my state.
II say may moi have succeeded,
but | have tried. If have succeeded
no man will come to my door and lay
| the charge of bribery Or corrupt prac.
tice in my election, be it. for myself or
! anybody else. regret therefore that
there are senators who feel they have
been able TO find anything at all in my
business life, in my political, social Or
family life. that will justify him in
having even a suspicion that I have
been guilty of the charges they would
lay at my door
Il say again, on my word as a man
and as senator, that I am not guilty
and that have no knowledge in the
remotest degree that bribery and cor
ruption were practiced to gain seat
for me in this BODY. and do not be
ieve, whatever the Chicago Tribune
may say. or may have been able to do
by coercion, that vol"s were bought tc
send me to this senate
Lorimer Cites Allegations.
The Lorimer controversy first began
10 assume definite shape on May 70
| 1910, when Lorimer arose to ques
ton Of personal privilege and callec
attention to certain newspaper allega
| tions These declared that the legis
| involved by the use of money ant
that Lorimer, the beneficiary, hst
guilty knowledge that democratic
votes had been purchased for him.
After denying all charges preferred
against him, Lorimer demanded an in
vestigation. At the conclusion OF hii
| speech, he offered resolution In
structing the committee on elections tt
examine the allegations recently mad'
| in congress. charging that bribery ant
corruption were practiced in the cleo
| ton of William Iorimer.
1T was held by senate authoritie'
that no cognizance could be taken o
Lorimers request. as no charges ha'
! been filed with the committee and tina
newspaper articles did no, constitute
the basis for an official inquiry. Whel
that conclusion became known, one o
the franchise organizations in Illinoi
| fled original charges.
On June IS, 1910, Senator Burrow
Introduced a resolution, providing TO
/