Omaha daily bee., 1902-02-25
CUTS TILLMAN OFF LIST
President Roosevelt Withdraws Invitation
to Dine with Prince Henry.
SENATOR atsAaDs IT As DIRECT INSULT
Refuses TO withdraw His Acceptance
of the Courtesy and Forces Pres
Ident Roosevelt TO Take
lh-k the step.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 24.-The president
has Withdrawn his Invitation extended to
Senator Tillman OF South Carolina to at
tend the dinner to be given tonight in
honor of Prince Henry Of Prussia at the
White House. It rs stated that this action
on the part OF the president was made
necessary from the fact that owing to &C.
currences on. the floor OF the senate last
Saturday the senator from South Carolina
wal declared IN contempt of the senate.
Senator Martin Of Virginia, a member OF
the committee on naval affairs, has ac-
cepted an Invitation In Mr. Tillman's place.
The Invitation was extended originally to
Mr.. Tillman. OWNS. to the fact that he is
the ranking minority member of the naval
affairs COMMITTEES. rst
There was a sensational sequel to the
decision Of the president to eliminate Sen
ator Tillman from the list of dinner guests.
The president sent for Senator Cockrell OF
Missouri and asked him as a friend and
democratic colleague OF Mr.. Tillman to sug-
gest to the latter the propriety Of with
drawing his acceptance Of the dinner invi-
tation. The president explained his attitude
in the matter and said that In view OF the
contempt proceedings Mr.. Tillman's pres
ence would not only be an affront to the
senate but a discourtesy TO Prince Henry.
MT. Cockrell accepted the commission and
later telephoned to the president that Mr..
Tiliman absolutely refused TO withdraw his
acceptance In response 50 the presidents
suggestion. The president Immediately can
ceied the iTvitation in mote, which he dis
patched directly to Mr.. Tillman shortly
before moon, today. In this note. which was
very brief and formal. the president stated
he regretted that be was obliged to with
&c.. a. f.NfanltSax simultaneously E0ns
ator Martip sof xikgipia was invited to a k
Mr.. TiliniunAe 6lSNb 8 Ainner as the
next ranking .denibcratics member OF the
senate naval AFFAIRS committee,
Text OF 1~rFssident's Letter.
The following is the letter from the
White House Withdrawing Mr.. Tflnan's
invitation to dine there tonight:
WHITE HOUSE, Feb. A--rhe president
f reg s1yt taat ne to Is y eSm e Sine' tonight AZ
the White apSss6 xe y e tEgly E1SFc;
Secretary to the President.
Commenting on the letter. Mr.. Tillman,
said g~ST
The president, of course, has the right
to invite anyone he chooses to dine with
him ohicially or otherwise, and also hes
/ ara not CONSCIOUS of having done any.
thing personal or, official which gives tt
president the right to Insult 1 am sur
prised at his action. The invitation 10 tn'
dinner came to me ~unsought and unex.
pectedly, and so far as the withdrawal II
concerned a. IL g matter of absolute IN,
difference to me. II is the motive behinc
II which seeks to put me In the conditiof
Of unworthinsss to meet the pr resaaent sn y
Prince Henry. the presidents guest
comes from q. country where custom makes
Il obligatory, Upon any man VINO. regards
himself as a gentleman TO promptly resen
an insult, and the method Is by -challeng'
to a duel. That was once the custom
but It "a now obsolete In the United. StateI
and wc have been forced as a people herr
to cling to the old Anglo-Saxon rule. o
considerinG the lie direct as the hrst blow
and no man could hold up his head In de
cent society should he, being. near enough
to answer the lie with q blow. not &
AS for my being in contempt of tn,
sSnai isss ms az tsss ri hsRds 81 Of tn the s president
that deny. I have been guilty of a breacl
OF the rules and the privileges of the sen
ate. The senate was not sitting as a eourt
but as q legislative assembly. IT has tn
right to expel me II 1t sees Mt and 1 an
ready TO abide it's Judgment and action
II has the right 10 arrest me and to hol
me In custody until It makes disposition
or my case; but It has no right to ga
me, and the president has nj right I
Judge me guilty of conduct u~nbecoming
gentleman, unless he bellies all his an
tecedents, which led one to believe tina
he, would have done Just az. did unde
the. circumstances As to which OF as !
the gentleman In this matter, In view o