The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1912-07-25
WASHINGTON
NEWS NOTES
EXPULSION OF lORiMER FROM
THE SENATE HAS TRAGIC
FEATURES.
LolIMEl MAKES DRAMATIC fight
Nothing But Pity Is Felt for Beaten
Man-Other Washington News
by Our Correspondent.

From Our Washington Correspondent.)
LOrimer has passed out. The cor
respondent OF the Register will never
forget the solemn tragedy enacted
Saturday, July 18th. 1t was one OF the
hottest days of the year in Washing.
ton-Washington is famous for hot
weather. Commencing early in the
forenoon and continuing until nearly
two O'Clock, Mr.. Lorimer stood in the
main aisle of the senate floor and
fought his great fight. He knew that
it was one that he could not win, but
for hours he went on and on, to tell
the complete story. Lorimer must be
classed as an orator, If talking in a
manner which drives home conviction
as to the truth of the speakers words
is what is known as oratory. Lori
mer's enemies did not gloat over his
downfall, and it is doubtful if there
vast a~ssemblage a single person who
felt other than pity for the man who
fought until the last ditch had been
reached, never to be crossed. Once in
the night court in New York City,
your correspondent saw a beautiful
woman in the hands Of policemen.
The cry Of sorrow which rang out from
her troubled soul could not help but
touch the heart and call forth the pity
of the most callous onlooker, no mat.
ter what her offense might have been.
At another time | recall the aleat of a
wounded deer stumbling into the for.
est with the hunters in pursuit, and
though this common thing may be
! sport, yet the poor hunted beast max
ing a vain struggle for life, could not
fail TO attract human sympathy. And
so it was with Lorimer-William Lori
liner, who for two and a half years
has been the constant target in Amer
lean politics. Although he was found
guilty of the charge against him, yet
in Washington we do not really ser
iously consider that the verdict was
a judicial one-no, it was the response
as Lorimer said, OF the people back
home who want blood" Ills further
statement that this was "thc crime Of
the senate" need not be discussed.
The humiliation and disgrace that al
tended the expulsion of the first man
ever driven from membership IN the
senate of the United States by a vote
Of his fellows, was a tragedy that Will
linger forever in the minds O: hose
who witnessed it. 70 those who were
not in this chamber. but read the oc-
currences of the day, the case of Lori
mer is past tense, only an incident in
the affairs OF the nation. Likely most
people believe that il was just retribu-
ton. Perhaps after all the moral
affect, even though Lorimer were in
nocent, win be saIutary and check po-
litical corruption. Your correspond
ent and others, who looked with in
curing g~lances in the faces of those
seated about the senate chamber on
the fateful afternoon Of July 18th, felt
that the scene was as solemn as
though it had marked the hanging Of
a fellow man.
The tariff board from which the re
publicans expected so much, has prac-
tically passed out Of existence and the
house democrats propose that the
special information required, will be
gathered by experts working under
the direction OF the house ways and
means committee. While the tariff
board has undoubtedly been a valuable
institution, yet there has been no end
to expenses and long delays connected
through it. At the same time, it is
declared that the department OF COM
MERGE and labor and the census
bureau have each been gathering
practically the same statistics. The
tariff board and these other ofshoots
OF the government have made the
work of obtaining special information
rather expensive.
John Bull has been attempting to
| get in on the ground floor on Panama
canal legislation, but there has been
little disposition here to take heed OF
the protest Of our British neighbour.
The United States has found the
Panama canal a very expensive under.
taking, and members OF congress are
quite determined that the benefits
] that are to follow shall be for home