New-York tribune., 1912-07-14
EYJT JORI1iER.

The Senate's vote yesterday to unseat
William Lorimer shows what can be
accomplished by genuine campaign OF
education. In March, 1911, when the
Senate decided that Lorimers title was
valid, 1t lightly put aside a conviction
formed by the great majority OF the
voters of the country. The voters had
studied the evidence presented and were
satisfied that Lorimer'S election was
tainted with corruption. 1t was PLAINLY
accomplished through the activities OF
the bipartisan Jackpot combination
in the Illinois Legislature. and that was
sufficient in the eyes of the pubic 10
condemn il as irregular and improper.
The Senate has not been noted for IT'S
quick appreciation Of what is going on
in the mind of the average citizen. II
takes longer to educate the Senate than
1t does to educate the public. But the
upper branch Of Congress usually
catches up with the procession In tnne'
and yesterday, after much delay ana
rumination. ii reversed itself and by
virtually a two-thirds majority fell into
line with the judgment reached by the
public over sixteen months ago.
The second trial of the Lorimer case
was really trial Of the Senate. The
result of the first inquiry put that body
on the defensive. The vote in favor OF
Lorimer uncovered remarkable bipar-
tisan alliance in defence Of member
whose title was dubious and whose
political associations were under cloud.
When Senator Bailey rushed to Lori
mers aid and became his leading apollo
giSt the country naturally became sus-
piciOuS of the influences which were
urging the Illinois Senator to retain his
seat, instead Of recognizing the gravity
of the charges against him, reSiSning his
commission and asking the people OF
Illinois TO give him a new bill Of health.
If Lorimer had had the moral sensitive
ness or moral courage TO seek at once
the popular verdict on his case which
he now says he Is going to seek. If 1t
takes all the resources at his command
and all the remaining years OF his life'
he would have relieved himself of much
opprobrium and his supporters in the
Senate Of much embarrassment But In
that case the Senate would have lost the
benefit of a valuable schooling. II
knows better now the cost Of superciii-
Gus or purblind resistance to awakened
moral sentiment-a cost which has been
emphasized in the extraordinary list OF
fatalities among Senators who ranged
themselves last year on the wrong side
Of the Lorimer issue.
In March, 1911. forty-siX Senators
were for vindicating the beneficiary Of
the Springfield Jackpot Yesterday
only twenty-eight were for vindicating
him. Of those twenty-eight three have
been defeated for denomination or re-
election. two have announced that they
will not be candidates for another term,
and eight more are pretty certain to re-
tire to private life when their present
terms expire. No Senator who voted for
Lorimer in 1911 has secured a re-elec
ton. and it will be remarkable If any
considerable number Of those who voted
for him yesterday will be able to sur
vive the almost universal disapproval
Of their conduct in trying to keep in
office a man who has shown himself so
insensitive to the standards Of honor
and propriety which should govern a
Senator Of the United States. Getting
rid Of Lorimer is an important gain for
the cause Of cleaner politics. But a
still greater gain is the evidence given
in Yesterdays vote that the Senate is
capable Of realizing and repenting an
error and cutting loose from the sway Of
evil political influences which the coun-
try at large Is determined to suppress.