Iron County register., 1922-03-02

Our own Senator Spencer, goaded
by the criticisms of his action in the
Newberry case, attempted justifca
ton of his course a few days ago.
The rejoinder of Senator Reed, which
"kivers the case" fully, set at naught
the weak pleas of Senator Spencer. l
sunjoin paragraph or two:
/ desire to address myself very
briefly to the latter part of the speech
of the junior Senator from Missouri
His defense seemed to be that there
is no case here because the people of
Michigan had not instituted prosecu-
tion under the State law. That de-
fense might be made by nearly every
citizen who is arrested in a Federal
court on charge for anything from
violation of the Mann Act to using
the mails to defraud, because it al
ways happens that when the Federal
Government takes charge the State
authorities stand back and allow the
Government to proceed.
1t happens in this case that almost
Immediately after the election the
Federal authorities began an investi
CATION and that fact was known
throughout the land. That investiga-
ton proceeded with the full knowl-
edge of the people of the State of
Michigan until it was consummated
by an indictment. The case was final
ly tried, the verdict of conviction
was pronounced, and the sentence of
the court was imposed. Under such
circumstances what becomes of the
plea that the people of Michigan did
not act?
The Federal Government was there
with all its machinery; it not only
took Federal grand jury and the
agencies of the Department of Justice
weeks and months to get at the facts
in this case, but it took the Commit
tee on Privileges and Elections OF this
body not only weeks and months,
but, if recall correctly, over a year
and half of time more fully to de-
velop those facts What individual
citizens of the State of Michigan,
therefore, under such circumstances,
would file charge in state court,
and what becomes of this vehement
argument that that the failure of
citizens of Michigan to prosecute con-
stitutes defense?
After all, if the case were being
tried in the Federal court, what kind
of q lawyer would plead that his client
might also have been prosecuted uD
der State statute, and that the fail
ure OF the State to prosecute is good
defense to charge brought by the
Federal Government?
But in this case to argue that candi-
date Newberry did not know what
was going on is to argue that he is
without sufficient mental capacity to
find his way from this Cha mber to his
hotel. To assume that man is in
telligent enough to rise to point of
distinction where, even with bis
money, he can secure a nomination;
that his money can be expended in
his campaign through his closest and
most trusted friends, through political
adherents with whom be consults
daily and weekly, and then to assert
that he knows nothing about what is
going on, is either to imagine he Is an
idiot or else to conclude that the per-
son who INDUCES in the assertion il
mentally deficient.
The truth about the matter is that
there is only one plea that can be
made, and that is the plea which
Bessie offered in 1.-THE Texas Steer. .
When the old man was away, as Sena-
tors will recollect, Bessie, the favorite
daughter, having full access to bis
bank account, went to a practical
politician and drew literally upon the
old gentieman's account. So when
the old man came home, he was in
tiignant and said he would not take
the office; that he did not want to
come to Congress. Bessie tearfully ex-
claimed, "I do not see why Daddy
should not take the Office; am sure
be came by il honestly. We paid for
every vote he got.n