Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-02-23
[ 0RIMER IN
OWN DEFENSE
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UUV UICINOI
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about-to answer the foregoing ques-
lions with the facts that alone can an.
swer them correctly"
/ Having outlined the general course
| of his remarks, Mr.. Lorimer said there
had been an effort to cover the case
with a veil of suspicion. 1t had been
charged that some one person with u
| powerful mind had organized the legis-
lature to defeat Senator Hopkins.
Some senators have intimated that
] the man with the powerful mind and
an organizing genius was myself he
said. 1T has been also minated" he
asserted, that he had been guilty Of
corrupt practices in his own interest"
| Taking up Senator : Crawford's
charges, Mr.. Lorimer declared that
! any who knew Of the Illinois legisla-
| ture would not assert that he sought
to organize the legislature against Gov
ernor Deneen. To organize a legisla-
ture so as to include democrats and re-
publicans requires effort. From Sep
tember Is to Nov. 1 he had been con-
not been able to appear until just be-
fore the election In consequence of
that illness, report had been circulat-
ed that he was about to die, so that
people had said, on that account he
should not be elected senator.
Refers to zShurtIeff Election.
After the November election he had
made tour of the Pacific coast and
after another illness had returned to
Washington. He was in the national
house Of representatives on the very
day, Jan. T. that Shurtleff had been
elected speaker.
Edward Shurtleff was elected
speaker because of condition that
arose there, and If a similar condition
had arisen anywhere in the country.
the result would have been the same"
He told then of the effort Of Gov.
Deneen to defeat Shurtleff, saying that
the governor had gone so far as to tell
members that unless they voted
against Shurtleff they would be de-
prived of all patronage.
''In other words, the governor of our
state undertook to dictate who should
be speaker
"Why was not this fact put in the
record?" interjected Senator Crawford,
$50 that Governor Deenen could make
reply as the senator is now making a
statement here?"
"Mr. Lorimer said he could not reply
Of the investigating committee.
Mr.. Hepburn protested aaginst the
question, but Mr.. Lorimer declared
that he did not object to questions.
Mr.. Crawford said if the statement
was to be that of witness he wanted
an opportunity to question him. Mr..
Lorimer repeated that he would be
pleased to answer questions. He
added:
mo senator connected with the in
,vestigation will say that at any time l
made any suggestion concerning the
conduct of the case or in my own be-
half If, am to infer the senator, from
South Dakota is dissatisfied, l am not
to blame for it,
Quoting Mr.. Crawford's allegation
that he had organized the legislature
to defeat Deneen, Mr.. Lorimer said
that of twenty-four republicans who
voted for Shurtleff for speaker, seven
teen also mentioned in the contest
had voted for Hopkins for senator
"If the theory that had been stay
ing.up nights and conjuring up dark
lantern scheme be true, how can you
prove it by this record? He asked
suppose that president OF the
United States should call in the SEN
ators Of his party and tell them who
he wanted for president protein Of the
senate and that unless they did his
bidding they would get no patronage;
that every last man employed should
be dismissed. Suppose a president
should fall so low and that he sue
ceeded in getting majority to the ex
clifsion of one man, what do you sup
pose would be done? Why, it wouldn't
take a day to induce the senators to
cross the party line and organize.
"The Illinois legislature did what any
sensible state would do they crossed
the party line and organized.
Shurtleff Not Lorirner Henchman.
ar the governor bad attended to his
own business, Mr.. Shurtleff would
have been elected by unanimous
party vote
After summarizing Shurtleff's rec
ord as Speaker on previous occas-
sions, Mr.. Lorimer defended him
against the charges Of corruption. He
said that in neither of his previous
terms had he assisted Shurtleff There
fore, Shurtleff was not man of his
.'He owes me nothing; I was not on
more, than speaking terms when we
went to Springfield to secure waterway
legislation. In view of these facts,
that he should be known as my bench
man is the most absurd charge that l
ever heard made in the senate or in
any other body"
Mr.. Lorimer declared it q question of
unti,lth that Shurtleff had been cleo
ted at his Lorimer's) instance. On
the contrary ne was Hopkins candi-