Evening star., 1921-09-29
Democrats, However, Find
Senator Used Corrupt and
Illegal Practices"
FORD'S CLAIM TO SEAT
DENIED BY BOTH SIDES
Republicans and Democrats Alike
Say Michigan Member Used
Too Much Money.

~ the Associated Press.
Opinions conflicting along party lines
were presented today by majority and
minority members of the Senate priri-
leges and elections committee on the
IordNcwberry 1918 senatorial election
contest from Michigan.
The majority report cleared Senator
Truman II. Ncwberry, the republican
candidate, Of corruption and all other
charges. and recommended that he be
legally seated The democratic members.
on the contrary, asserted that Senator
xNewberry was elected by corrupt and
illegal methods and practices" and rec
commended that his seat be declared va
cant.
- With the filing of the reports, the case
1@E goes to the Senate for final de-
ciSion. which probably will not be made
for several weeks. In the meantime, it
is understood. Senatorf Newberry will
not attend the Senate sessions.
>~On only two major issues were the
republicans and democrats in harmony
in the reports filed today. They agreed
that Henry Ford. the democratic con-
teStant, had not been elected and was
not entitled to the seat from Michigan.
They also agreed that too much money
had been spent in the Michigan primary.
The democrats. however, contsnded that
Senator Newberry was responsible per-
sonally for the expenditure. while the
republicans held he was not.
Majority Recommendations.
Recommendations of the majority
report. submitted by Senator Spencer.
republican, Missouri, who conducted
the committee investigation and re-
count, were:
-u) That the contest of Henry Ford
against Truman II. Newberry be, and
IL is hereby, dismissed.
hot T,-,,, L.,
hereby declared to be 4 duly elected
senator from tile state of Michigan
for the term of six years. commencing
March 4. 1918.
''t3) That his qualification for a
ssat in the Senate of the United
States. to which he has been elected
has been conclusive1v established and
the charges made against him in this
proceeding. both as to his election
and qualification. are not sustained"
Conclusions of the minority, pre-
sented by Senator, Pomerene. demo-
crat. Ohio, and sig%ed-also by Senar-
tors King, Utah. ana Ashurst, Arizona,
We're: Id:
"F'irst. That the irregularities CON.
planned of do not relate to the general
election. but to the primary. Henry
Ford did not receive a plurality Of
the votes cast at the general election.
We therefore find that the petitioner,
Henry Ford. was not elected and is
of the United States.
Second, We find that under the
facts and circumstances of this case
corrupt and Illegal methods and prac-
tlceS were employed at the primary
election and that Truman H. New
act and the primary act of the state
of Michigan. and that by reason
thereof he ought not to have or hold
seat in the Senate of the United
States. and that he Is not the duly
elected senator from the state of
Michigan for the term of six years
commencing March 4, 1919, and we
recommend. therefore, that his seat
be declared vacant"
Minority Finds Fraud.
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
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
ground-that all charges against Sem
ator Newberry related to the primary
and not the general election. and that
it was established conclusively that
in the general election Senator New
berry had received majority of the
votes. Mr.. Ford's charges of bribery,
illegal voting. undue influence and in
timidation of voters in the general
election were declared by the majority
to be without foundation.
Money expenditures In the primary
was the main point at issue in the
conflicting recommendations. This
was placed by the majority at approx
imately s195,000 and at least $l8S.56S
by the minority. There was virtually
total disagreement along partisan
lines as to Senator Newberry's re-
sponsibility for and management of
the expenditures.
There is no evidence whatever to
sustain the charge of improper use Of
money at the primary or the general
ELECTION the majority declared.
The evidence shows. conclusively
that the financial cost of the cam
paign was voluntarily borne by rela-
fives and friends OF Truman H. New
berry and was entirely without solicit
tation or knowledge upon his part.
Too Much Money Spent.
THE amount of money spent at the
was large-too large-but there was
no concealment with regard to 1t. and
1t was spent entirely for legal and
proper purposes
"Your committee condemns the use
of such a large sum of money in any
primary campaign. but in the in
stant case there is not the slightest
Truman H. Newberry with its solicit
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