Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1922-01-24

berry in very high esteem"
3. Senator Willis Republican (Ohio),
classed among the doubtful Senators,
visited the White House and following
that visit introduced a resolution con
demning the huge expenditures in the
Newberry case and made a part Of the
resolution declaring Newberry to be duly
elected.
4. The old guard leadership, still in
control of the Republican Senate, with
which Senator Newberry is identified BY
reason of his wealth. constituted a solid
nucleus of the Newberry vote to which
it was only necessary TO gather few
sha mprogressives to constitute a ma
jority.
EFFECT OF ATTENTION
ONLY SURPRISED.
To what extent President Harding's
social attentions to Senator Newberry
and the Presidents appearance at
crucial moment as a voluntary char
acter witness for the accused Influenced
votes in behalf Of Newberry may only
be surmised. 1t had been stated that
Mr.. Harding would not interfere in the
Newberry case but if his acts and utter
ance referred to were not intended to
influence the votes Of Senators it is not
otherwise apparent for what they were
Intended.
1t has been generally understood that
Senator Willis and the President were
not on the most cordial terms because
of Ohio patronage, so that the visit Of
the Senator to the White House, with
his published admission that he dis
cussed the Newberry case with the Presi
dent, is rather unusual and somewhat
surprising He and the President have
denied that President Harding mad any.
thing to do with formulating his resoIu-
ton, but the facts remain that he did
visit the White House, that he did talk
with the President about the Newberry
case and that subsequently he introduced
q resolution which is generally sup
posed to have given Newberry at least
three heretofore doubtful votes includ-
ig his own, without which NeWbeTry
would have been defeated by one vote.
All the known facts are in support
Of the statement Of Cordeh Hull, chair
man of the Democratic national com
mittee, that Senator Newberry, accused
openly in the Senate Of occupying
purchased seat and convicted in court
on the facts, retains that seat by the
gracious commentator Of the President
berry's victory lis q distinct personal
triumph for President Harding"
Of all the regrettable phases of the
Newbe case the most regrettable is
that the President Of the United States
voluntarily should have splashed the
Newberry mud on the executive gar
ments
NORRIS VOICES
MORAL ISSUE.
The moral issue involved IN the New
berry case was succinctIy and forcibly
stated by Senator Norris, Republican.
(Neb.), when he said;
They had public sale up IN Michi-
gan. The property that was placed On
the auction block was seat in tire
United States Senate. The sale was
public, the bidding was in the open, and
the property was knocked down TO the
highest bidder. The only question before
the Senate is, Shall that sale Of the
seat IN this chamber be confirmed"
The political issue involved in the
Newberry case is not confined to Sena-
tor Newberry, nor the five sham progress
siYes and the forty-one old guard mem
bers, who voted for him, but involves
the entire Republican party. This was
clearly stated by Senator Underwood,
Democratic leader of the Senate, who
said:
1T is not Senator Truman H. New
berry who is under Indictment in this
case, 1t is the Republican party. It is
not only Senator Newberry who is
charged with violating the corrupt prac-
tees act Of the state Of Michigan, but
il is the RpDUbIig9O pa
After referring to the methods used to
eject Senator Newberry, he continued:
"If you confirm him in the title to
that seat you confirm the action Of the
Republican committee that elected him
by these methods. That is the issue that
is before the country; and that is the
issue that we, as the opposition party,
are entitled TO carry to the American
people and condemn you for the position
you have taken"
RESOLUTION
PARADOXTCAL.
In all the history of the Senate there
is no other such paradoxical resolution
as the one adopted seating Senator New
berry, which after dismissing the con
test and declaring that Newberry is en-
titled to hold his seat IN the Senate, con
tains the following:
The expenditure Of such excessive
sums in behalf Of the candidate either
with or without his knowledge and CON
sent, being contrary to sound public
policy, harmful to the honor and dignity
Of the Senate and dangerous to TIE
perpetuity Of 4 free government. such
excessive expenditures are hereby
severely condemned and disapproved"
In other words, the act which was
contrary to sound public policy" which
was harmful to the honor and dignity
of the Senate" which is dangerous to
the perpetuity Of n free government"
is denounced and condoned IN the same
resolution and the beneficiary of the in
famous act is further rewarded with
a seat in the highest legislative body
in the world. NO only that, bur the
Senate has stultifed itself further by
disregarding and overriding 4 policy ex,
pressed in the vote of both houses Of.
Congress setting a $4,000 limit upon
such expenditures.
The farcicial performance is thus char.
&cterized by Senator Kenyon of Iowa,