The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-03-01
Continued on Page six-)
BAD AS TREASON
Senator BriStOW Attacks EIec-
ton Methods of Stephenson.
Declares Him Unworthy of Seat
in the Senate.

Washington March Insisting
that any act of corruption that con-
tributes to nomination in senatorial
primary is just as culpable as if 1t
occurs in election by a legislature,
Senator BriStow, of Kansas, TO-DAY
urged the senate to reject the major
ity report of the committee on prlVl-
leges and elections generating Sena-
tor Stephenson (Wis.) of the charge
that corrupt practices were employed
in securing his election.
Il believe" said Senator Bristow
that the evidence shows that cor
used; that Mr.. Stephenson and his
managers not only corruptly used
money to secure his election, but also
flagrantly violated the laws of the
state of Wisconsin against corrupt
practices in elections, and that by
mere technicalities they seek to avoid
the responsibility for their conduct
Any man who will openly violate the
statutes of his state that have been
passed to protect the honestly of its
elections is not worthy of a seat in
this body.
report takes the amazing position that
corruption in the primary election can
not be considered as having any bear
ing on the Legislative: that the primary
practically has no more connection with
the action of the legislature than
straw vote would have.
1.-The methods and practices which
they used in the primary Mr.. Hepburn
himself condemned in the following
language:
in the primary campaign was so eX-
travagant and the expenditures were
made with such reckless disregard of
the proprieties as to justify the sharp
est criticism. Such expenditures were
in violation of the fundamental prin-
ciples underlying our system Of gov
hi or q
lection of candidates by the electors
and not the selection of the electors
by the candidate
Says 1t Is Shocking
yet by an ingenious argument,
continued the senator, ''Mr. Hepburn
attempt to exempt Mr.. Stephenson
from the results of corrupt practices
in the primary, the boldness of which
every honest American citizen.
1.-The majority of the candidates for
the legislature publicly declared they
would vote in the Legislature for the
man for United States senator who Sc
cured the party nomination in the pri-
mary; so it was necessary for Mr..
Stephenson to have that nomination
in order to secure the election; and
the corrupt or unlawful expenditure
of money in securing votes in the pri-
mary was just as heinous as would
have been it's expenditure to get votes
in the legislative election"
Senator Bristow then quoted Senator
Stephenson's testimony admitting that
he had expended $1O7,793 and made
a detailed statement in regard to the
organization of the Stephenson cam
paign committee.
1.-THE senate cannot have the conf
dence of the people said the speaker,
'if men immensely rich, with little quail
fication for the great office of senator of
the United States, but who desire the
position as a child wants a toy, are to
be permitted to employ political highway
men as mana gers and organizers such as
the agents of Stephenson were, and then
turn over to them vast sums of money
to be used in purchasing the support Of
men wherever they can be found who viii
yield to such inducement-
IF this government is to live, corrup-
ton in high places must be made
heinous as treason. for 1t is in the end
more dangerous to the nations welfare
Today In Congress.
Washington, March 1.-Senate in
session p. m. Cutlery and surgical
instrument manufacturers protested to
finance committee against house steel
tariff bill. Railroad attorneys gave
their views to interstate commerce
commission on proposed bills of lad
ing reforms.
House met at noon. Agricultural
appropriation bill consid Grafton re-
suned.
Representatives of land companies
were heard in Florida everglades in
vestigation.