The Detroit times., 1912-10-21
DISPUTE ELECTION
OF FIVE SENATOR'S
Penrose and Four Others Likely
To Be Called on to Defend
Their Right to Seats

II d
CHICAGO. Oct. 21.--John cullai
lOLAughlin, In dispatch 70 the Rec
ord Herald from washington. says:
IA q result OF recent developments
| Il has become apparent that the mex
session OF congress win be devoted
largely TO Investigations OF the right
Of certain senators to occupy seats y
the senate.
Five senators, according To all 40
counts. will have 70 defend them
selves against charges that theli
seats were procured by unfair meth
DDS and corruption or that they are
unit to serve as the Representatives
Of their districts.
They are: Boies Penrose, Of Penn
sylvania; Henry A. Du Pont, Of Della
ware: Francis Il. Warren, OF Wyom'
ing: William e. Chiffon, OF West vir
EiDla; Clarence w. Watson, OF West
Virginia.
Three OF these senators. Penrose,
Du Pont and Warren. are Republicans
Of the most conservative type: while
two. Chiffon and Watson are Demo.
Gratis equally conservative.
Penrose will be investigated on the
charges first that he obtained his
seat by bribery and corruption, which
Is being circulated by the Philadal-
Thia North American. and second,
that he IL unfit, as a result OF his
association with the Standard Oil
company, to enjoy membership In the
senate.
Senator Reed, OF Missouri, made q
speech on the floor OF the senate de-
nouncing the methods, whereby Du
Poni procured his election.
Warren has been made the sub
ject Of allegations touching his moral
fitness to retain his ONCE. These
allegations have not yet been hled
with the senate. v
That body declined to receive last
summer charges affecting the meth
DDS by which Chiffon and Watson
were elected. but 1t Is stated that an.
other effort will be made TO present
them with view TO action.
II IL Internationally true that the
character OF the senate today 10 not
TO the liking Of men Of the type OF
Du Pont and Penrose.. There Is alto
Tether too great q disregard Of what
In the past has been known as sen
atorial courtesy" y
Ten years ago, yes, i've years ago,
no senator would have thought Of ris-
ing from his seat and attacking o col
league. Now there are men In the
body who are positively discourse
ous.' and who do not hesitate TO
barc the shame Of member.
Such procedure IL denounced as
Revolutionary, y and the man who Ia
working for a clean senate 10 looked
upon az villain or the deepest dye,
worthy OF Whatever punishment can
be inflicted, such, for example, as OBJ
lection to the passage OF his bills. TO
confirmation OF appointments made
upon his recommendation, and the
like. IA
The principal battle OF the senate,
however, will take place over Pen
rose There II no question but the
Progressiyes will seek TO carry out
the view expressed by !. Theodore
Roosevelt when he testified before
the committee investigating cam
paign expenditures;
When I was police commissioner
or New York City and a.. member Of
the force did In connection with the
GlICICGtnCnt Va tnC law. 080thoS tAN0Nt
selling what Mr.. Penrose says he did
In this case. I should have thrown him
CT the force. And I hold that the SEN
ate OF the United States ought to
throw Mr.. Penrose out for the admis-
sions he made before this commit
tee As q
Penrose win be fortunate in having
a committee friendly to him and op-
rosed to Roosevelt. The. committee
row Is made up OF eight Republicans
and six Democrats.
All OF the Republicans with the ex-
ccrtion OF Clapp. OF Minnesota. and
Kenyon, OF Iowa. are members Of the
senate ring" OF which Penrose Is
the head. AZ least three Of the Demo
Gratis also belong to this ring"
While the committee Ii friendly to
Penrose, however, II does not follow
that its action will be approved by
the senate. only. because he had two
votes to spare.
FOR any cause, no matter how tri-
vial, the senate can expel man from
the body. This, however. requires u
two-thirds vote. A majority Is sum
Gent for exclusion on charges that
an election was procured by bribery
end corruption.
u