The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-07-11
Illinois Senator M a y
Know Fate Within
48 Hours.
STRONG PLEAS
IN HIS BEHALF
Senator Johnston, Democrat,
Refuses to Save Himself From
Popular Wrath at Sacrifice
OF His Honor-Dillingham
Willing to Lose
His Seat.

Washington. July io.-The right OF
William Lorimer to his seat in the
/ United States Senate Will be decided
within the next forty-eight hours
+ This much seemed certain. after the
seven hours session of the Senate.
when speeches b. Senator'S Johnston.
Z OF Alaha ma. and Jones, OF Washing
on. were delivered for tho pro-Lori-
mer forces Besides the closing rlea
OF Mr. Lo7imer. the program stili in
i cludes speech making by Senator'S
Lea, Of Tennessee. and Thornton. Of
/ Louisiana, and possibly a further gen
! eral discussion OF the legal points In
/ VOWED The Lea and Thornton
speeches are expected to be brief
Senator Lorimer. VINO occupied sew
eral days Ia his self-de:ense in the
last Congress nay conclude IN one
session. but any general discussion is
likely 10 postpone action uatil Fr.-
day.
Democrat who supported Nh Lori
mer at the arst trial. opened ,o-day.s
session with spirited speech In his
( behalf lie conceded = popular de-
mand for Lorimers unseating. ard
: sa.a he knew he would be on the
unpopular side but declared:
II refuse 20 save myself at the sac
rihoe Of my honor.
senator Johnston declared that tho
number Of prinjes copies OF the Lori
mer hearings taken from the s4nat..
/ document room indicated that less
] than half the Senators had read the
( evidence In the case He condemned
/ as I'm Christian and un-American'
/ Colonel Roosevelts course in declining
I 10 sit with Senator 4-oTiner at the
Hamilton Clubs dinner at Chicago
Jones for Lorimer.
senator Jones. OF Washington. who
/ opposed Lorimer at the hrst t.ial.
but who supports him now. spoke al
ter Senator Johnston.
Senate. Johnston depicted in strong
I domestic cha racter OF Mr. Lorimer
/ He declared that he had won the es-
TEEN Of all who knew him well as
{ private citizen and member OF the
House OF Representatives
Mr.. l-orim-r had been attacked
principals. said Senator Johnston, be-
cause ne had received the support OF
+ Democratic members OF .4e Illinois
Legislature
If We are to make that test our
I friend Senator Page. of Vermont.
+ he said. Senator Johnston contenGed
/ that the case was res adjudlcata.
I II Senator may be tried over and
over and over again, any one under
| accusation would retain his seat here
! hubject only to the within OF the ma
( jority," he said.
Has Not Been Influenced.
| Mr.. Johnston declared that he hao
not been influenced to his course BY
any predictions in favor Of Mr. Lori
mer.
II convinced that single fraudu-
/ lent vote had been cas-, for Mr.. Lori
mer, should oppose his retention Of
his seat" he said He is . Republic
can and l am = Democrat and would
not go out of the way TO hold him
IN his seat II not convinced that he
was entitled TO retain it,
Senator Jones began his address
shortly after IL O'Clock He an
nounced that he would not speak at
length: that he would not have oc-
cupiea any of the Senate's time. but
for the fact that he had changed his
attitude since the case was first pass
ed on
The change in his convictions. SAID
Senator Jones. had been due to the on
portunity he had had OF listening to
the witnesses against Lolimer. lie COM
planned Of the public clamor in the
l-orimer case and charged that it was
! having too much influence In deter
mining the votes OF the Senators.
I Smith Is Aroused.
Inls statement aroused senator WI
liam Alden Smith. of Michigan. With
evident feeling he confessed 10 'ir-
ritation' over what he characterized
as covert and insinuating intima-
= ff,r.- IN, L..
Mi Lorimer that those in opposition
lack honesty and courage and are
subject to influence by public clamor."
This intimation Is raise" said
Senator smith and resent 1t boin
for myself and for my colleague. Sen
ator Townsend. who. like myself. has
reached the conclusion that the MI
nois election was tainted with fraud
and corruption"
Senator Jones retortcd that those
who are supporting Mr.. Lorimer's
righ, to seat here are Just as much
the foes Of corruption ana bribery as
are those who are trying to unseat
him" He denied any Intention Of
critlczing the attitude fothcr SEN
ators. but he asserted that there mad
been too much effort to control pub
lie sentiment in opposition to Lori
mer.
Referring to a charge made by Nh
Smith that there had been perjury in
the case. Senator Jones excIa lined
Perjury Yes. there has been per-
jury. perjury perjury, but ii has been
on the part of those who attack the
seat of the senator from Illinois"
lie admitted that there also had
hcen perjury on the other side
Hurls Charges at Link.
Mr.. Smith charged that Link. 'th, IL
linois legislator, had been ahown To he
guilty of perjury, but Mr. Jones con-
tended that the money paid to Link
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