Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-05-27
Wisconsin Senator Urges
Adoption Of Resolution
Naming New Members Of
Lorimer Committee.
SEES SENATORIAL
STANDARDS LOWERED
Deeply Significant, Said the
Speaker, That Corruption
Charges In Senate Had
Been in Last II Years.

-
Been in Last II Years.
Washington, D. c., May ga four
day speech in opposition to the reten-
ton OF his seat by Senator Lorimer
OF Illinois was brought to close by
Senator La Toilette of Wisconsin to-
day. Mr.. La Toilette advocated the
adoption Of his resolution naming new
members Of the senate to conduct q
further investigation into the case OF
Senator Lorimer.
Mr.. La Toilette says that 1t was q
deeply significant fact that for seventy
years after this government was estab-
lished the senate had never been hui
milited by call to investigate charge
of corruption in the election Of one OF
It's members. Since that time eleven
senator's had been required to defend
themselves against the charge OF
bribery
"a study Of the ten bribery cases
tried here in recent years." said Mr..
La Toilette, "discloses the growing
tendency towards the establishing OF
precedent which makes It increasingly
difficult to convict except In cases
where the proof Is Overwhelming and
notorious. The decision In the Lori
mer case makes another Of those un-
fortunate precedents. In some re-
spects 1t stands alone-a lurid page In
the history of lowered senatorial
standards.
Reforms Brought on by Betrayal.
"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 presidential
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
public officials.
There has grown up scOrn and
contempt for the plain citizen.
ut has become common to refer to
the people as mob and the peoples
rule as the rule of the mob"
"The recall will enable the people
to dismiss from public service repre-
sentative whenever he should cease
to serve the public interests. Then no
Jackpot plan can hold his Office in
defiance OF the will Of constituency
whose command he has dishonored."
When Mr.. La Toilette introduced his
resolution providing that new COM
mittee be elected by the senate to
make a thorough investigation of the
election of Mr.. Lorimer, 1t was OBJ
jected to by members OF the regular
orfianization on the grounds that it
was reflection upon the vice presi-
dent and upon the committee on pri-
vileges and elections. Mr.. La Fol
lette quoted many precedents, in sup
port of his proposition to name the
members of the. select committee in
the resolution adopted by the senate.
He urged that it was nothing new for
the senate to take out Of the hands OF
its presiding officer and of the stand
ing committee the selection Of spec
ial committees to do particular
piece of work. He argued that there
was nothing either in the proposal he
had made to the senate or in the past
record of the senate to sustain the
objection raised against his resolu-
tion."
Holds New Committee Necessary.
Senator La Toilette concluded:
..In asking that committee OF new
men be named, / have had no ulterior
design. The adoption OF this resolu-
tion can no way be construed as re-
Election on any memDer of the former
committee. II were member of that
committee with my convictions formed
and expressed as result of the first
trial. would not myself consent to
serve in committee charged with the
grave responsibility of prosecuting the
investigation OF all the facts upon both
sides Of this case, and reporting the
results Of that investigation to the
senate.
"Whatever decision the committee
on privileges and elections might
reach their action Is likely to be mis-
ISdged. The public is aroused, indig-
nant. sensitive. They are not indif-
ferent on this case. II the committee
who Judged the testimony previously
should decide adversely on the new
will the public think It
is unbiased and fair? Will they be
satisfied? Or, II the same committee
should reverse its judgment, will the
public believe it is from convictions? 2"