Perth Amboy evening news., 1912-07-15
LORIMER AND THE SENATE.

spirit of the times. The United
States Senate has actually expelled
one of its members for bribery. This
is the first time in the history of
the country that such action has
been taken-although it will not be
said that 1t is the first time a mem
Der has been elected through brib-
cry.
Such a thing as expelling a men,
Der of the senate even though there
was good reason for believing that
he obtained his seat through fraud,
vas not thought of a few years
ago. Even last year the senate had
refused to unseat Lorimer. After a
second investigation, however, and
after a second hearing and AFTER
THE PEOPLE HAD BEEN HEARD
FROM IN NO MISTAKEN TERMS,
HE FINALLY HAD TO GO.
This precedent cannot help but
have a salutary effect. 1t is a warn
ing to every state legislature that
the limit has been reached. The
United States Senate is no longer to
be known as a millionaire's club,
where a man, after spending the
best days of his life piling up a for
tune which he could not honestly
have earned, can retire and spend
his declining years basking in the
social limelight at Washington, pos
ing as a senator, but in reality a
pensioner of the people who obtain
ed his seat in the upper house of
congress in a hammer hal would
never stand publicity. We have
had an example of this kind of sen
ator here in New Jersey. There are
few states but what must acknowl-
edge the same disgrace.
The expulsion of Lorimer marks
the beginning of the end Of all this.
1t Is true that In his cast the cor
ruption was more apparent than in
any of the others and even those
who are inclined to close their ayes
at such things could not help but to
vote against the man Yet there
are still members of the senate who
! are no more entitled to their sea-
than Lorimer, some have yer un-
d~ergone investigation, but they will
| retain their seats to the end Of their
term. They will never return, how
ever. Either they have already an
nounced their retirement or they
will be unable to secure the votes
necessary for reelection.
The United States senate has
undergone a great change during
the past few years. One by one the
representatives of the trusts and
the corporations have been ousted,
| either by force or voluntary retire
ment In order to escape the force,
and have been replaced by men who
fully represent the people and who
stand ready to respond to popular
will instead of listening only to
big Business" 1t has been a
long, hard fight to bring about this
change. Special interest has been
intrenched in a manner that 1t was
thought impossible to dislodge.
To one man must be given the
credit for starting the fight and car-
rying it through until victory seems
to be in sight. 1t was Robert M.
LaFollette, who, as governor of
Wisconsin, brought about many re-
forms for the benefit of the people
in his own state, but who quickly
saw that the trail of the serpent"
led to Washington and through the
door of the United States senate,
and, in order to accomplish n
permanent reforms, he realized that
privileged business" must be GUST
ed from its position of influence at
the very fountain head Of the gov
eminent.
LaFollette, undaunted by the
laughs and jeers of his colleagues,
went after the monster single hand
ed. For several years he fought
alone. He never hesitated and he
never grew weary for he knew he
was in the right, He has remained
in the senate long enough to see
those members who first ridiculed
him, sent into retirement. He has
witnessed the transformation OF the