The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1921-09-29
F am Gus Controversy
Over Seat of Michigan
4, Man Who Ran Against
Henry Ford Will Be
Settled AS Soon AS
Senate Confirms the
Findings of the Com
rmittee


Washington, Sept. 29.-Opinions
conflicting along party lines were pre-
sented today by majority and minority
members of the senate privileges and
elections committee on the Ford-N
berry 1913 senatorial election contest
from Michigan.
The majority report entirely cleared
Senator Truman H. Newberry, the
Republican candidate, of corruption
and all other charges. and recommend
ed that he be legally seated The
Democratic members on the contrary
asserted that Senator Newberry was
elected by corrupt and Illegal meth
DDS and practices" and recommended
that his seat be declared vacant.
With the filing of reports the case
now goes to the senate for final de.
cision, which will probably not be
made for several weeks. In the mean
time, it is understood, Senator New
berry will not attend the senate ses-
sions
On only two major issues were Re
publicans and Democrats in harmony
on the reports filed today. They
dSIScu ludI TIE lJeIllO-
cratic contestant had not been elected
and was not entitled to the seat from
Michigan. They also agreed that too
mnch money had been spent in the
5 Michigan primary. The Democrats,
however, contended that Senator
NeWberry was responsible personally
for the expenditures while the Repub-
licans held he was not
recommendations of the majority
report, submitted by Senator Spencer,
Republican, Missouri. who conducted
the committee investigation and re.
count were:
81. That the contest of Henry Ford
against Truman H. Newberry be, ana
it is hereby, dismissed.
80. That Truman H Newberry is
hereby declared to be a duly elected
senator from the state of Michigan
for the term of six years commencing
on the fourth day of March, 1919
80. That his qualification for
seat in the senate of the United
States, to which he has been elected.
has been conclusively established and
the charges made against him in this
proceeding, both as to his election and
Conclusions of the minority pre-
sented by Senator Pomerene, Demo-
crat Ohio and also by Senators King,
Utah, and Ashurst, Arizona, were:
THAT the irregularities complained
of do not apply to the regular election
but to the primary. Henry Ford did
not receive majority of the votes at
the general election. We. therefore,
declare that the petitioner, Henry
Ford, was not elected, and is therefore
not entitled to seat in the United
States senate. We find that under the
facts and circumstances of this case
corrupt and illegal methods and prac-
tices were employed at the primary
election and that Truman II. Newber
ry violated the corrupt practices act
and that therefore he is not entitlt
to a seat in the senate and is not a
duly elected senator from the state
of Michigan for term of six years
commencing on the fourth day of
March, 1918, and we recommend that
therefore his seat be declared vacant -
A separate minority report also was
submitted by Senator Ashurst, who
declared Senator Newberry's creden-
tials were stained by fraud and
tainted by illegal expenditure of
money" The testimony showed. he
said, that the 1918 Michigan campaign
'partook more Of the character of an
auction than an election"
Claims of Mr.. Ford to the Michigan
seat were denied by both majority
and minority members on the same
grounds-that all charges against
Senator Newberry had received a ma
jority of the vote. Mr.. Ford's
charges of bribery, illegal voting, un-
due influence and intimidation of vot-
ers in the general election were de.
clared by the majority to be without
foundation.
Money expenditures in the primary
was the main point at issue in the
conflicting reports. This was placed
at approximately $194,000 and at least
$188.56S by the minority and major,
ity respectively. The total disagree
ment along partisan lines as to Sen
ator Newberry's report by the com
mittee of four and the management OF
expenditures.
The majority emphasized that Mr..
Newberry was serving the navy in
New York and was absent all during
the campaign His record during the
campaign, the Republican report said
merits commendation and,approval.
The Democratic report declared thai
the "exorbitant expenditures tn tllis
primary campaign shocked theopcon
science Of the country" and wer