The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-02-26
Rod ROOSEVELT Sc i:I. NI TNES HIND III FIGHT.
Withdraws TilFnan's Invitation to
Dine at White House.

Uln6 al WHITE nuuSS.
Washington. Feb. 24.-The presi-
dent has withdraw his invitation
extended to Senator Tillman of South
Carolina to attend the dinner to be
given tonight in honor of Prince
Henry of Prussia at the White House.
It is stated that this action on the
part of the president was made neces-
sary from the fact that owing to oc-
currences on the floor of the senate
last Saturday the senator from South
Carolina was declared in contempt of
the senate. Senator Martin of Virginia
accepted an invitation in Mr.. Till
mans place. The invitation was
extended to Mr.. Tillman owing to the
fact that he is the ranking minority
member of the naval affairs committee.
There was sensational sequel to
the decision of the president to ellnl-
nate Senator Tillmans' name from the
list of dinner guests. The president
sent for Senator Cockrell OF Missouri
and asked him as friend and Demo
cratic colleague of Mr.. Tiilman to
suggest to the latter the propriety Of
withdrawing his acceptance Of the din
ner invitation. The president explain
ed his attitude in the matter and said
that, in view of the contempt proceed
ings, Mr.. Tillman's presence would
not only be an affront to the senate
but discourtesy to Prince Henry.
Mr. Cockrell accepted the commission
and later telephoned to the president
that Mr.. Tlilman absolutely refused
to Withdraw his acceptance, IN
response to the presidents suggestion.
The president then Immediately can
eelled the Invitation in a, note ne dis
patched directly TO Mr.. Tillman short
~ before noon today. In this note,
which was very brief and formal, the
president stated he regretted he was
obliged to withdraw the invitation.
simultaneously Senator Martin Of
Virginia was invited to take Mr.:
Tlilman,s place at the dinner as the
next ranking Democratic member OF
the: senate naval affairs committee.
The following is the letter from the
White House withdrawing Mr.. Till
mans invitation to dine there tonight:
White House, Feb. d.
The president regrets that he is
compelled to withdraw the invitation
to you to dine tonight at the White
House. Yours truly,
Secretary to the President.
Commenting upon the letter Mr.
Tillman says:
"The president of course has the
right to invite any one he chooses. to
dine with him officially or otherwise
and also has the right to withdraw
such invitation. AS [ am not con-
scious of having done anything person
al or official which gives the presi-
dent the right to insult me, am sur
prised at his action. The invitation
to this dinner came to me unsought
and Unexpectedly, and so far as the
withdrawal is concerned it is matter
of absolute Indifference to me. It is
the motive behind it which seeks to
put me in the condition Of unworthl-
ness to meet president and his guest
| before the final action by the senate.
Prince Henry, the presidents guest,
comes from a country where custom
makes it obligatory upon any man who
regards himself gentleman to prompt
" resent an insult and the method is
by challenge to duel. That was once
the custom but it is now obsolete IN
the United States and we have been
forced as people here to cling to the
old Anglo-saxon rule of considering
the lie direct as the first blow, and no
man could hold ubp his head in decent
society should he, being near enough
to answer the lie with blow, not
give it.
"As for my being in contempt of
the senate, which I presume is the
excuse for this insult at the hands of
the president-that I deny. l have
been guilty of breach of the rules
and the privileges Of the senate. The
senate was not sitting as court but
as a legislative assembly. It has the
right to expel me if it sees fit and I
am ready to abide it's Judgment and
action. It has the right to arrest me
and to bold me in custody until it
makes disposition of my case; but it
has no right to gag me. and the presi
dent has no right to Judge me guilty
of conduct unbecomirg gentleman
unless ne bellies all his antecedents
which lead one to believed that he
would have done just as I did under
the circumstances. AS to which OF
us is the gentleman in this matter in
view. Of the unsought invitation to
dinner at the White House and its
indecent withdrawal I am willing to
abide by the judgement of all brave
and self-respecting men,, -
-z>-
A SUSPECTED POISONING.