The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1912-07-08
Senator Dillingham; Begins Long
Argument
IN DEFENCE OF ACCUSED MAN
McCumber Supports Him-Myers, in His
Maiden Speech, Insists That Infamy,
Corruption and Crime
Existed.

Washington, July S.--The final stage
of the second trial of William Lorimer
on the charge of misconduct in procur-
ing his election to the United States
Senate from Illinois was entered upon
Saturday in the Senate with general
debate. 1t had been agreed to vote upon
the case during "the legislative day Of
July g." but q vote was not reached
Saturday, and the Senate recessed its
! legislative day until to-day, with
prospect that a vote would not be
reached until the latter part of next
week.
Senator Dillingham; of Vermont, chair
man of the Lorimer investigating COM
mittee, and Senator McCumber of North
Dakota supported the Illinois senator's
right to his seat, while Senator Myers
of Montana made his maiden speech in
the Senate in opposition to Mr.. Lori
mer. Mr.. Dillingham; delivered only the
first instalment of a long speech and
will continue it to-day. He devoted
himself to an effort to demonstrate that
Mr.. Lorimer had not been candidate
for the Senate until after the sena-
torial deadlock in the Illinois legislature
had continued for more than four months,
and until it looked as If there might
be an adjournment without action. He
gave an elaborate account of political
conditions in Illinois, and after under
taking to show that the Democrats
would not support the reelection of Sen.
ator Hopkins said that they would be
willing to turn to Mr.. Lorimer because
of their personal regard for him. He
said Mr.. Lorimer had thought he could
be OF greater use in the House than in
the Senate.
Senator McCumber's speech was caus-
tic. He took the position that the SEN
ate was unfit to try such a case be-
cause of the popular prejudice against
Mr.. Lorimer and because of the infu-
enee that popular sentiment would have
on votes. He declared there should be |
an amendment to the constitution re-
lieving the Senate of the necessity OF !
passing upon cases involving charges !
against its members. Mr. McCumber |
charged that the popular sentiment |
against the Illinois senator was due !
TO ignorance on the subject. Some SEN
ators had, he said been defeated for re-
election because of tlieir votes for Mr..
Lorimer. The case had been once tried,
he said, and he believed the doctrine
of res adiudicata entirely applicable.
Mr., Meyers would not accept the doc
trihe of res adjudicata. He regarded
this as simply new trial and contend.
ed that if the Senate should nos be
permitted to grant such trial, il would
be the only tribunal controlled by the
English system of jurisprudence to which
that right would be denied. "There is
no such thing known to the law as
turning back: there must be verdict
In this trial" declared Mr.. Meyers. Hay-
ng entered upon the new trial. he said
i could not be stopped midway, accord
ng to all precedent; il must be prose-
,uted to the end He contended that
The new trial had been justified by new
The fact that SO Democrats
lsd voted in the Illinois legislature for
Mr.. Lorimer, Republican was sufficient
'eason for suspicion as Mr.. Myers saw
he matter. 1T is proof that there
$ something the matter either with the
lead or the heart he said. Expressing |
lis belief in the irregularity of the Lori |
ner election he declared that the very
atmosphere of the Illinois legislature
vas charged with corruption on the day !
VI the Lorimer election. The case is !
eeking with infamy, is dripping with
corruption and is redolent of crime"
le declared.