The Cordova daily times., 1922-01-20
FRIDAY, JANUARY 20, 1922
THE MICHIGAN SENATORSHIP

The Michigan senatorial election contest be- tween Henry Ford and Truman H. Newberry, which ended this week when the Senate voted to seat Senator Newberry, was one of the most notable. and fought with as great heat as any engaging either branch of Congress in recent years
 The roots of the contest run back into the early summer of 1918 when President Wilson personally requested MT. Ford to enter the race for the Michigan senatorship. The De- troit manufacturers entrance into politics precipitated situation without parallel in the state for he declined to state whether he would, seek nomination and election as Republican or as Democrat, entering the race subse quentIy as a candidate for nomination on both tickets.
 On the Republican ballot in the primary which was held August 27, 1918, MT. Ford was opposed by MT. Newb6rry, former Governor Chase s. Osborn, and William Gerald Simp- of Detroit. As a Democrat, he was op- posed by James W. Helme of Adrian MT. Ford won the Democratic nomination handily and MT. Newberry was victor on the Republi- can ticket. Neither had made personal efforts in the primary campaign and neither partici pated personally in the fight prior to the gen eral election. MT. Ford attended to his manu- featuring business and MT. Newberry remained in New York City where he was stationed as a lieutenant commander in the Navy during the war.
 It was, however; the primary campaign about which events were to center and around which the succeeding storm was to rage. Chrcnologically developments followed in this order:
 Charges were spread broadcast by Ford sup porters accusing the Newberry committee with having spent more than $250,000 in the pri- mary campaign and the further assertion was made that illegal influences had been brought to bear and intimidation of voters resorted to| by the Newberry committee in obtaining thei nomination for their candidate.
 MT. Ford filed charges and a contest of Mr. Newberry's election with the Senate January f. 1919, and recount of the election ballots was immediately ordered by the Senate. The recount, completed in February of that year gave Mr. Newberry plurality in the general election of 4,334
 MT. Newberry took the oath of office and assumed the duties of senator the following May 19, and day later Mr. Ford filed with the senate additional charges of illegal ex- nendtures and conspiracy in the primary byI Mr. Newberry and his campaign committee The senator made no statement regarding the charges further than to say that he had no knowledge of the activities of his committee having remained out of the state of Michigan during the entire primary and general cleo tion campaigns
 Grand Rapids, Mich, then became the center of the stage for November 29, 1919, Mr. New berry and 134 other men were indicted at the instance of the Department of Justice on Fed eral charges of conspiracy to violate the cor rupt practices act. This law limited the ex- .penditures of candidate for Congress. The Senator and 16 of his co-defendants were con- victcd in. the trial that followed. He appealed to the Supreme Court of the United States which held the corrupt practices act unconsti- tutional and set aside the conviction, May 2 1921.
 Shortly after the indictments were returned