The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1911-04-01
WASHINGTON HEARS OF MOVE
NEWT CONTINGENT ON IN
CURRY AT SPRINGFIELD.
TAFT REPUD|ATtS HINES
Says He Did Not interfere in Hi
ncis, and Senator Shelby M.
cuIiom Backs His State
ment.

case III the United states senate al
the coming session of congress is in
dictated by information at hand. The
Introduction of resolution declaring
that Mr.. Lorimer was not legally cleo
ted, similar to the one which failed oil
adoption by six votes at the recent
session, is in contemplation. Action,
it is stated, depends in part on devel
opments in connection with the pres
ent investigation by the senate com
nlittee at Springfield, and to some ex-
tent upon prospective reorganization
OF the United States senate commit
tee on privileges and elections after
April 4.
Emphatic denial at the White
House of the statements made by Ed
ward Hines in his testimony at Spring
field in so far as they referred to the
Influence" exerted by President Taft
to bring about Mr.. Lorimer's election
to the senate, was one of the features
OF tae Washington developments.
Sci ator Cullom Of Illinois support
ed til White House denial by state.
ment that he knew from personal
talks with President Taft that the
latter had had no leaning in Mr..
Lorireer's direction. 1t was stated at
the White House that as long ago as
last september report reached the
president similar to the statement
relative 10 him in Mr.. Hines testi-
snofly, and that in letter to a friend
In Chicago ne made categorical de.
NAL Ii answer to questions that had
been put to him in a written COM
munication. In this letter the presi-
dent said among other things: The
runor, report or statement that
consciously lent the weight of the
administration to the election of Mr.,
Lorimsr is wholly untrue"
II Is no secret in well-informed cir,
Giles in Washington that President
TAFT vas interested in the situation
at Springfield at the time of the sen
atorial deadlock to the extent of ex
pressing the hope that the compiled
tons might speedily be wiped out
and {; Republican elected to fill the
vacant seat in the senate. At that
time ne senate was engaged in a hot
fight over tariff revision, for which
President Taft had called congress in
extraordinary session Immediately af
ter his Inauguration. The burden OIL
such evidence as exists, however. is 4
that the president eyinced no par
TALLY for Mr.. Lorimer, and friends OF
the administration declare that hel
did not know he was to be
a candidate until practically the time
the decisive vote was taken by the
legislature.
If the president had thought proper
to exert any direct influence over the
election, it Is further declared he
would have thrown his influence in
favor of Mr., Hopkins, on the ground
that he was the man entitled to the
votes Of Republicans because of the
result Of the primary and the Repub
lican caucus. AS 1t was, however the
president refused to be drawn intoI
the controversy, and resisted vigor
GUS EFFORTS made to obtain his in.
dorsement of the Hopkins candi-
dacy with the declaration that he
would not give personal aid to any
particular individual.
Senator Cullom, discussing the nap,
penings at Springfield, made the fol.
lowing statement;
While the legislature at Spring,
field was in deadlock | saw the presl.
dent several times and he showed an
interest in the situation. He was
anxious that a senator should be
chosen and he wanted to see a Re,
publican elected, but as between can.
didates he had no preference. He
carefully refrained from expressing
any choice, or committing himself in
any way that his words might be used
10 the advantage OF any candidate.
talked with him often enough to
have earned OF his leaning toward
Mr., Lurimer had he been SO inclined
md | can say that during none OIL
,ur talks did the president express 4
!hougft susceptible of being tortured
nto ar Endorsement of Mr.. Lorimer.
"My own experience bears out to
he letter the explanation of the
Presidents attitude in the fight as Civ.
IN out at the White House today"
The developments Of the day rela.
I've ~ the possible. Is not probable,
reopenlng Of the I.orimer case involve
conferences which senators recently
have had on the subject. A progress
we Republican senator IL suthorityl
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