Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-20

alone having been SAFES .583, of which
Ware accounted for $785, 1874.
In Pennsylvania at present 1t Is not
so much a question Of money expended
as 1t is of political alignments, at least
in the view of Senator Grumpy. He
would like to see the committee prove
what he charges-that the Pennsyl-
vania Railroad with Atterbury its pres
ident also a Republican national COM
mitteeman, is financially supporting the
Ware machine.
Scope of Probe Outlined.
This sort of inquiry might seem to be
out of the jurisdiction of the Nye COM
mittee, but the fact is that nothing
even remotely connected with an cleo
ton is beyond the committees scope
The willy Norris of Nebraska, himself
candidate for reelection this year. saw
to that. He sponsored the inquiry
resolution and provided for investiga-
ton of promises of patronage and all
other facts in relation thereto which
would not only be of public interest,
but which would aid the Senate IN en-
acting any remedial legislation or In
deciding any contest which might De
instituted involving the right to seat
In the United States Senate"
Norris also provided that the COM
mittee should inquire into primaries
The Senate, ratifying this provision
thus took q step which many claim Is
unconstitutional. But unwarranted OF
not, the decision shows that the Senabe
is determined to get at the real sore
spot in elections.
The Senate was not always ready tC
delve into primary expenditures.
It declined to inquire into anything
back of the general election in the Ia
NOUS case involving William A. ClarR
of Montana, back in 1899. In those
days when the State Legislature chose
the United States Senator the Senate
privileges and elections committee De.
gan a spectacular investigation. II
found that Clark had bought the votes
of some IA or Is State Senators fol
from $4,000 to $4,000 apiece. Clark
beat the committee, however, by resign
ing the seat to which the Legislature
had elected him. He was then reap
pointed by the governor, and at once
began q campaign to elect Legislature
which would rename him. And he &C
complished just that and came back to
Washington, where the Senate said 1t
could do nothing further.
The LOrimer Case.
Then came the famous Lorimer case.
William Lorimer, a Republican, was
elected by the Illinois Legislature on
May 26, 1909, on the ninety-flfth ballot
after a three-month deadlock. Lorimer
had hardly settled himself in his seat
when his right to it was challenged,
the principal charge against him being
bribery. Again the Senate privileges
and elections committee investigated,
reporting year later, however. that his
right to a seat had not been tnvaldated
by corrupt methods or practices.
This brought about bitter and pro-
longed debate in the Senate, which
finally rejected a resolution offered by
the late Senator Beveridge, declaring
Lorimer not legally elected, As to 40.
But Lorimer'S troubles were not over.
An investigation conducted in the ILL
noiS State Senate divulged a story OF a
500 900 jackpot which, 1t was charged
had been employed by Chicago business
interests to procure Lorimer's election.
When Congress reconvened La Fol-
lette reopened the case and finally, In
July, 1912, Lorimer was unseated. This
brought about another change in cleo
ton methods. Prior to the Lorimer case
the House had repeatedly approved
resolutions for the submission OF con-
stitutional amendment for direct cleo
ton of United States Senators to the
State Legislatures, but the Senate had
spurned 1t. Now both houses finally ap-
proved the amendment and 1t was rati-
fed by the States In May, 1913.
Next in impcrtonce was the equally
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