GRAFT IN UNITED STATES

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10716, 10 September 1912, Page 6

GRAFT IN UNITED STATES

SENATOR LORI'MER'S EXPULSION. bribery, corruption, and SUBORNATION. For tho first time for over a century a member of tho United States Senate has been expelled for bribery. This is Mr Lorimer, junior Senator for Illinois, who was accused of suborning, bribery, and 'corrupting Illinois legislators in order to secure his election to the Senate.

Tho campaign against Mr Lorimer 1 has been a long one and a hot one. He has been denounced as the "boss nf the most pernicious and dangerous type," and tho word "Lorimeris'.n'' Jias been coined to express the meanest and most despicable vices. •Both President Taft and ex-Presi-dent Roosevelt have issued statement* in their time Vehemently denying that, they had "been behind Mr Lorimer's candidature." Mr Roosevelt went so far as angnly +0 refuse to attend a dinner in Chicago to which Mr Lorimer had been in- ! vited.

Senator Root, in analysing the evidence against Mr Lorimer. said: "If the Senate sanctions; the methods used to elect Mr Lorimer, tho United States Senate itself cannot stand, and tho Government of tho United States cannot stand." Mr Lorimer fought hard to the end, a,lid made a three days' speech in liir: defence. Me declared that the effort to depict him as a. burglar wit!) a dark lantern, groping about the Legislature of Illinois, bribing, corrupting, and organising so that iiis ejection- by Illinois for the honour of a United States senatorship might be assured, was a "hellish, libel invented by the devilish ingenuity of the Yellow, Press, wliieli sought his discomfiture a"fl d'sgrace." Ho referred to tho many beautiful things that? had 'been mid >'n tho floor of fcto Senate, even 1-y. Ins enemies, in regard to hir; family !-fe. His remarks on thi'; subject seemed deeply to affect, i.'.e many vcrnen who crowded 'nto H:o g'll.-i r s. "Much has been '-'iM/ ;!e ' vurtor remarked, "ah-" 1 "" havingJed a i)Urc private* life. My pr: v oto life, if; no part of this case, and I hone it will not influence pny Senator !<i making u:» his mind. "When 1 return to my hor.H\ c.no fjlance at the group of faces, one kis.-: from each, and a eare« r . from pit is is reward enough for the tr'nlc and efforts of a lifetime. They will not yield if they are disgraced with me. If I am turned from this Chamber it will <3Vaw them closer about me. They, thank God! will form a hollow square about me, and defend me against the world.'.' The disgraced Senator almost collapsed from exhaustion as he finished, and a doctor hurried to liis assistance. When he had recovered he left the House, a. helpless, pathetic figure.