The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1920-03-22
CAN'T BUY SENATE SEAT.

4 CAN'T BUY SENATE SEAT.
Nothing has happened since III,
expulsion OF Senator Lorimer which
will have as salutary an effect IL
purifying politics as the conviction
Of Senator Truman Newberry fol
violation OF the statute against ex-
pending moro than $4,000 in a con-
test for the United States senate.
Newberry was a commodore in the
United States navy who had never
taken any interest in politics. lie
had a number OF very rich relatives
and himself is a wealthy man. lie
was taken up by the republicans Of
Michigan so as TO defeat Henry Ford,
who It was very evident, would OBJ
tain a large republican support in
the race for the senate. Newberry
remained in New York and presum-
ably was ignorant of the lavish ex-
| penditures being made in the cam
paign in his interest. The services
,, OF leaders all over the state were
purchased. Newspapers were bought
UP. A so-called democratic candi-
date was brought out against Ford.
Several hundred thousand dollars
were spent and with the aid OF the
election machinery Ford was de-
feated on the face OF the returns by
about 1900 majority. 1t is contended
that many OF these votes were stolen
and the senate will soon investigate
that phase, but this was not involved
in the case before Judge Sessions.
The case has been hard fought.
Newberry had to defend him able
legal talent. II seems from state
ments OF jurors that he was con-
victed on the testimony of his own
Witnesses. One OF them said that
Newberry knew that the campaign
was going to cost more than $4,000.
He thought, no doubt, that Just SO he
did not spend the money himself no
would escape.
The effect OF this case is going to
be to make 1t impossible for rich
men any more to buy their way into
the senate of the United States.
If tho senate makes the same rUl-
ing against this Michignnder that the
house has made against Berger ne
will be excluded from membership.
No one will have the same respect
for the upper body II 1t retains in
it's membership a man convicted OF
such q crime,
The trial was presided over by
Judge Sessions, who 10 well known |
here, where he has served for Judge |
Sanford. 1t IL said that his charge |
to the jury made the conviction GER
tain. Every one who saw Judge Ses-
sions on the bench here was i'm
pressed with him as a man of great
character and force.
The verdict was a sumner for the
cause Of political corruption. Coming
as It does upon the threshold of a ma
tional campaign, 1t ought to and per-
hapS will exert a profound influence
over political activities of the COM
ing summer. One 10 instinctively
OF the palmy days of Matt
Quay and Mark Hanna and led to
speculate upon what might have
been had there been such corrupt
practices act as we now have with
somebody on deck to enforce It, The
whole course OF American political
history might have been changed
One OF the strong characters de-
voloped in the Newberry trial Is
Frank c. Daley. assistant district
attorney, who worked up the case
and directed the lines of the prose-
cution. He 1t was who prosecuted
the notorious Mayor Dom Nj. Rob-
erts, of Terre Haute. and his confed-
crates few years ago with q result
similar to that In the Newberry case
The population OF Leavenworth was
Increased. Mr.. Daley
has proved himself an advocate OF
no mean ability. The country IL GER
Tain to hear more of him. As foe
Of corruption. he takes rank with
The celebrated Francis J. Honey.
It is now being oontended that the
standing OF Senator Newberry among
his colleagues will not be affected
until the case Ia finally adjudicated
In the supreme court Maybe not
II is largely o matter of taste. Our
10, however, that diff
terent view prevailed IN the case OF
Senator J. r. Burton, of Kansas,
few years ago.