The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-03-25
N HIS Own DEFENSE
Senator Biddison Comes Out
in an Emphatic Letter,
SAYS HE ALWAYS FOUGHT
indian Country Tax Bill, and
Is UnjustI / Held for 1t.
SAYS HE ALWAYS FOUGHT

Guthrie, o. T, March 24-(speciaL)-
Senator a. ]. Biddison, member Of the
Fifth legislative assembly from the Second
council district, has furnished the press
with letter, in reply 10 the resolutions
adopted in q mass meeting Of his con-
Etituents recently, which severely assailed
his conduct as legislator. In his reply
Senator Biddison says:
Il notice in some Of the newspapers OF
the territory reference to an indignation
meeting held at Pawnee last week, which
had passed certain resolutions condemning
the last legislature for the enactment OF
the law relieving the people Of the Indian
Territory from the payment OF any tax,
except for territorial and court purposes,
and criticising me for not defeating the
passage of the bill.
ITO those who know the facts no eXpla-
nation is necessary and, to use the Ian
guage Of a distinguished member Of the
council who supported the bill and who
has since written me, relative to these
Newspaper articles in all my experience
in pubic life 1 have never known more
unjust accusations made against a man
than those contained in the resolutions.
THE bill and those who let it pass with
out contest were made the objects of ad-
verse criticisms. but I who am the only
one who had spent hours ,PeBlng the as
sistance of others to defeat the bill, and
took the responsibility of the fight in open
council against the measure, am charged
with the parentage of the bill, or at least
with the responsibility Of its passage.
There was no effort that I could put forth
either of parliamentary procedure or per
sonal solicitation, that 7 did not resort TO.
With one single exception, there was no
member Of the council that I did not re-
peatedly ask TO assist IN the fight The
record shows what I did in the council
and in committee Of the whole I attack
ed the bill by motion to strike out all after
the enacung clause. This was defeated
after exhaustive argument. Then I sought
% add other funds upon which tax should
be paid. This was voted down. Senator
Bellamy then moved to amend by pro
viding that the bill should not release back
taxes. This was beaten. then sought to
require the territory to pay the cost Of
assessing the reservations, and this also
was voted down. All this was done by
the same vote that carried the bill on its
first passage-Senators Bellamy, Winkler,
Garrison and myself seeking to defeat the
bill and to amend it; all others equally
firm in its favor.
Il have made this full statement show
ing the falsity Of the charges Of the poHt-
zeal 'stiffs' who are seeking to drag them
selves into prominence by attacking me.
THE so-called Indignation meeting at
Pawnee was not generally known-not
even in town-to be contemplated. A few
were gotten together to protest against
the action of the legislature. and this they
were right in doing, for while I regard the
work OF the last legislature as of the
highest quality in the main, the passage
of this act was a stigma upon it and an
outrage upon every county that has at
taehed to 1t any unorganized county, and
its effect was to require these counties to,
in a great measure. support such attached
county.
1T was under this guise that a few peo-
pie were got tOgether-the statement made
to them that I had sold out the county
and the resolutions adopted for political
purposes. There was not a single repre-
sentative business man of Pawnee who
took any hand in the adoption Of the reso-
buttons. which had been prepared and type
written for personal ends before the hand
full Of people were gotten together. the
parties interested only getting a few to-
gether to give an air Of responsibility and
credence to their lies.
- am not criticlsing the members of the
council for boodung, In connection with
this bill, but every influence was brought
to bear. The friends Of the measure
thronged the lobbies and political pressure
and promises Of future assistance and
threats of artagonism, and personal an
peals were resorted to. AL the influence
OF the cattlemen. as well as Indian trad
ers and railway corporations. We're resort
ed 10. Promises of local benefits by rail
way construction were held out until the
members regarded the wrong they were
doing as insignificant compared 70 the adj
vantageS personal and local. that would
result This was practically true when
that wrong had been made to ap1ear. a.
most right. The decision of the supreme
court that the right of county to tax for
these purposes other than for court funds
was q technically. and that the county
received no corresponding benefit was
forced upon the attention Of the senators.
as was also the statements OF Judges Of
the supreme court, made in private CON
versauons that these levies were out
RACES. and these were given added weight
BY coming from the judges who presided
IN these counties.
Against al l,his had my fight 70 make
and I lost. L IS true. as am criticised
FOR doing. ] refused 10 agre with Senator
Hutto to stop the effort TO secure two
townships lrnn paEra c-rr-N md hana