SENATOR LORIMER'S DISGRACE

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 215, 7 September 1912, Page 18

SENATOR LORIMER'S DISGRACE

[ " DRUMMED OUT" OF THE SENATE. HIS IMPASSIONED DEFENCE. By a vote of 55 to 28, Mr. Lorimcr, junior senator for Illinois, has been ousted from the United States Senate. Mr. Lorimor, defiant to the last, made a three days' speech, declaring his innocence of the charge that lie had suborned, bribed and corrupted Illinois legislators in order to secure hie election to the United States Senate, but his impassioned plea* proved futile, and the Senator, a helpless, pathetic figure, loft the House just as disgraced in the eyes of the people as the soldier, shorn of his buttons and facings, drummed out of the regiment. Several members were expelled from the Benate during the Civil War for treachery, but it is 115 years since a Senator was ousted for bribery. Two Senatorial Committees investigated the charges that Mr. Lorimer's election was secured by corruption of the grossest type. Many powerful newspapers have conducted campaigns against Mr. Lorimer, denouncing him as a " buss of the most pernicious and dangerous type," and the word " 'Lorimeri.sui " has been coined to express the meanest and most despicable vices which have be.en winked at too long by the political party organisations, although they have been lately condemned by Americans generally, and are increasingly repellent to the more enlightened and educated democracy. Roth President Taft and the former President Roosevelt have issued statements in their time vehemently denying that they had "been behind Mr. Lorimer's candidature." Sir. Uooeevelt went so far as angrily to refuse to attend a dinner in Chicago to which Mr. Lorimer had been invited. Mr. Roosevelt made a keen thrust at political bosses of the Lorimer type when he declared "mere legal honesty is not enough in public office." Senator Root, in analysing the evidence against Mr. Lorimer. said: "If the Senate sanctions the methods used to elect Mr. Lorimer, the United Stntes Senate itself cannot stand, ami the Government of the United States cannot stand.

A more painful scene than that enacted yesterday afternoon, when the Senate passed the resolution expelling Mr. Lorimer, has never been recorded. Mr. Lorimer's spepc-h in h ; s own defencp. though at times pathetic, was none the leas repellent. Up almost collapsed from exhaustion when he had finished, and a physician hurried U> his side. Mr. Lorimer diclared tliat, thp pffort to depict him us n burglar with a dark lantern. about the Legislature of Illinois, bribing, corrupting, and organising »o that liii selection by Illinois for the honour of a United States Senittorship might be asiJiirpil. was a " hpllish libel invented by the devilish ingenuity nf the Yellow l'ress," which sought his diseomtiturp and disgrace."

As Senator Lorimer's speech drew to a close, he referred to the many beautiful things that had been said on the floor of tlie Senate, even by his enemies, in regard to his family life. His remarks on this subject seemed deeply to affect the many women who had crowded into the galleries. " Much has hern said." the Senator remarked, " about my having led a pure private life. 1 hope that the record in the closing day* of my life will rthnw the«e statements to have been ju«tilled. Hut every man who lives a pure private life, in so far as the weakness of the human kind will permit, has had his own reward; every correct act and good deed has its own compensation. My private life is no part of this ca*e, and I hope it will not influence any Senator in making up his mind. "Much has been said. too. of Mr. Lori* tncr's ideal home life! Oh, yes, ideal: When I return to my home, one glance ill Dip group i>l fncps. one kiss from ea.-i.. and a caress from all, is reward enough for Hip trials and pflorls of a lifetime."

.Mr. Lorimer himself seemed close in a break-clown, but. pausing for n mnmni:. Hp gathered himself together, and went on:

" They will not yield if they nre disgraced with mc. if ] am turned from this Chamber, it will drew them closer about mc. They, thank Cod! will form hollow square about mc. and defend mc against the world."

Other speeches followed. Senator Tillman wept as lie announced his belief that Mr. Lorimer was innocent. Knormous pressure had been brought to bear to induce Air. Lorimer to resign, but from the first he jaid he would fight till he was driven from the Chamber, and tliis fate, with frreat dramatic plTect. has now befallen him,