The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-20


 ousson in the Senate today for the first time since the committee on privileges and elections concluded it's investigation of his election
 Senator Heypurn, who was chairman of the subcommittee making the inquiry, occupied the entire session in support of the majority report of the committee He declared Mir Stephenson was entitled to his seat because the charges had not been proven. He said he would not ask for a vote before next Wednesday,
 Hepburn Attacks Clark
 Much of Senator Heyburn's time was consumed in an arraignment of the print ing clerk of the Senate who. had failed to have printed the first volume of the com mttee report containing the recommenda- tions of the majority. He said instruc- tions to print had been given a week ago but that acting under advice the clork had willfully failed to obey the or der.
 When Senator Shoot sought to point out that the clerk had held up the re- port on the understanding that the views of the minority were to accompany the majority report, MT. Hepburn referred to the Utah senator as special counsel for the clerk, of whom he spoke several times as a 'dsobedient underling'
 Ultimately he moved to have the clerk summoned before the bar of the Senate, but the motion was overwhelmingly de- feated.
 Senator Heyburn declared that State xrI1n oh a rood that X21l- GOO had been expended by Mir Stephen- son in influencing his election. when placed on the witness stand confessed to having no proof on which to base that charge.
 Mr. Heyburn stiu htld the floor when the Senate adjourned.
 Minority Disagrees
 Tinted States senatbr Isaac stephen son of Wisconsin is not entitled to his seat in the opinion of five members or the Senate committce{ on privileges and elections who filsd, 2 neAnofity report ws'n
 The majorfty report on the investi- aation of Senator Stephenson's cam paign expenditures was submitted Feb .ruary 12 In substance if held that the charges of corruption in the pri- mary of 1906 were not proven.
 The minority report Is signed by Senator's Kenyon, Clapp and Jones, re- publicans, and Lee and Kern, demo- crats. It contends that enough evil dence was adduced by the inquiry to warrant the Senate in declaring Sena- tor Stephenson's seat vacant.
 Referring to the fact that the sen ator. through his lieutenants, spent sf07,793 in his campaign and that can didates for the state legislature spent proportionately large sums, the report quotes from the majority report;
 Expenditures Too Large
 "Such expenditures were in viola tion of the fundamental principles un- deriving our system of government, which contemplated the selection of candidates by the electors and not the selection of electors by the candidate. t
 The minority report then proceeds;
 "We concur in this statement and 1t tustiles us in opposing the conclu- sion of the majority. How seat in the Senate can be secured in violation of the fundamental principles underly- ing our system of government with evidence showing the use of such large sum of money and not be tainted by corrupt methods and practices we are unable to comprehend.
 'The question now squarely before the Senate is whether or not methods and practices In violation of the fun danental principles underlying our system of government shall be de- nounced by our words and approved by our votes"
 Quoting again from the majority re- port. which after summarizing the methods of Senator Stephehson's cleo tion declared that if they had been used by a candidate for state office in Wisconsin "it would be very dini- cult to justify such conduct under the laws of the state." the minority re- port contiues;
 Cannot Justify Campaign
 eThls statement we endorse. 1t war rants our opposition 10 the conclusion of the majority. If 1t would be difficult to justify a campaign like this by A can didate for state office, why is it not equally difficult to justify 1t on the part of Senator Stephenson? He was not com pelled to go into the primary. He elected to do so. and he should be held to the same degree of accountability as any other candidate in that primary.
 'If he used methods-and the majority says he did-that if would be difficult to iustify in behalf of a state candidate, then 1t is equally difficult for the senate to justify such conduct on the part of candidate for seat in this body and preserve its integrity and honor. In our judgment it cannot do it,"
 The report sets forth that the evidence showed conclusively that voters were paid to be at the polls; that extrayagant sums for entertainment" were expended, re- cords and papers concerning the cam pa.gn were shifted from ono place to another and original records were de- stroyed.
 ''All this is admitted" says the report, 'and we feel we have a right to assume from these admitted facts and actions that corrupt methods and practices were used in connection with said primary election. To hold otherwise, is to establish a. precedent that would authorize an ex- penditure' of hundreds of thousands of dollars to debauch the electorate in order to secure seat in this body. To do this is to notify the world that are care less as to whether or not seats in this body are to be bought and sold as so much merchandise to the man with the largest purse.
 occooocoooCcccccooocoocoo c . q KILLS SELF AFTER c c DAUGHTER REFUSED Q c Valdosta, Ga. February 19.-After Q 0 begging his young daughter In Q G vain to shoot him, and while she e