Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-11-21
NEWBERRY
RESIGNS

CENATOR NEWBERRY OF
- Michigan has resigned his seat
in the United States senate. The
resignation came just before the
meeting Of the senate in extra ses-
sion. While his seat was safe un-
til after March 4 next, and perhaps
for a full year yet, it vas certain
that as soon as the new senate was
called together a new attempt
would be made to open up his case
and unseat him. He only managed
to save his seat in this congress by
a majority of five. and many of his
senatorial friends were defeated
for reelection to the senate and
either democrats or progressive re
publicans elected in their places.
Public opinion in Washington was
to the effect that Newbcrry would
lose his seat soon after the new
senate convened.
The Michigan Doodle senator
has blocked this program by re-
signing before the fight began to
put him out of the senate. This
ends the Neaberry case, unless the
senator should decide to again run
for election as a vindication. The
term which Senator Newberry is
now serving expires by limitation
on March 8, 1925. so that in the
natural course of affairs his sue
cessor would not be elected for
about two years. No doubt his
place will be filled by appointment
of the governor of Michigan, or at
a legislative session, or at a special
election soon to be called. At any
rate the state will not long be short
a senator, as the republicans will
need all the votes they can muster
to pass the ship subsidy bill, If in
deed they are able to do that at all.
Mr.. Newberry gives as his rea-
SON for resigning the fact that his
colleague, Senator Townsend, was
defeated by a considerable major
ity at the late election after a
campaign in which the Newberry
case. was the chief issue. He also
says that he is influenced by the
realization that he cannot do much
for the state of Michigan on &C
count of the extreme partisan op-
position to him in the senate. He
then reviews the history of his
case, defending his title to his seat.
He says that He has fought a good
fight and kept the faith. He does
not, however, complete the quota
ton from the Apostle and say,
"henceforth there is laid up for
me a crown of righteousness In
deed we hardly think that the sen
ator is entitled to the first part of
the quotation either for he has not
fought a good fight or kept the
faith very well. He has pulled
out of the fight when defeat was
to be feared by him, and he has not
kept the faith of his constituents.
He has lost it, as the election IN
Michigan showed very plainly the
other day.
We have no doubt that Senator
Newberry found his position at
Washington very uncomfortable,
in spite Of the friendship of Presi-
dent Harding and most Of the re-
publican leaders. 1t is true that
he retained his seat by a majority
Of five in a republican senate with
"a majority. But every demo-
crat in that body believed that he
was not entitled to hold the seat,
and so did quite a number of his
w party associates who voted
with the democrats against him.
Even those who voted with him by
their votes condemned the Doodle
methods by which his election was
won, and it was necessary 70 in
corporate this condemnation in the
resolution which gave him his seat
in order to get the slim majority
he got. Senator Newberry may
think that he has already received
all the vindication he needs, but
if that is so he is easily satisfied.
AS a matter of fact we are sure
that Mr.. Newberry regretted often
and bitterly the large expenditures
Of money made in his behalf in his
senatorial election, and If his fore
sight was as keen as his hindslght
he would never have permitted the
spending of nearly a quarter OF a
million dollars for a senatorial
toga. At various times the sena-
tor testified that he did not know
that this money vas being spent
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