Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-18
TILL MANS SPEECH
Dramatic and ForcefuI Effort
of the Senator.
PRESIDENTS ARRANGEMENT
In Regard to Circumstances Of the
Election of Mrs. Morris.
WILL EMBARRASS THE SENATE
Newspapers and the Giving Out Of
News Was Discussed to a Con-
siderable Extent.
WILL EMBARRAss THE SENATE

The dramatic and forceful speech of SEN
ator Tiilman yesterday afternoon, an out
line of which appeared in The Star, was to-
day the subject of considerable discussion
among senators and others. It's arraign-
ment of the President and proposition to
investigate the circumstances under which
Mrs. Morris was elected from the White
House tend to embarrass many senators
who question the course they should take
in the disposal of such suggestion, which
is unprecedented so far concerns the pro-
posed inquiry into the manner of conduct
ing the affairs of the White House.
Senator Tillman was Intensely in earnest
throughout his remarks and did not spare
his words. A considerable part of his speech
was given up to discussion of newspapers.
THE newspapers" he declared vehement
ly, ARE the men who have made him what
he is, as far as the public knows, because
he has never had the opportunity In all his
journeyings and speeches to meet more than
one in a thousand Of his fellow-citizens,
and it Is through the great fundamentally
represented in that press gallery that he
has become puffed up to such degree that
he strides the world like a colossus, and
we smaller men'-you, thank God, not l.
crawl around between his legs hunting for
yourselves dishonorable graves or a piece
of pork.
This picture of men crawling under the
colossus Roosevelt was attended with q
motion and looked as IL he was endeavor-
ing to discover them on the floor of the
Senate crawling about under the desks.
Mr.. Spooner arose.
THE senator pointed to me- he said
Mr.. Tillman disclaimed having any per-
sonal controversy with the senator from
Wisconsin.
Quoted Jefferson.
Senator Tillman quoted Jefferson on the
value of a free press In the maintenance of
republican institutions.
d" The basis of our government said JEFF
ferson, being the opinion of the people.
the very first object should be to keep that
right; and were 1t left to me to decide
whether we should have a government with
out newspapers or newspapers without
government should not hesitate a moment
to prefer the latter
Having quoted" said Mr.. T1llman, what
Jefferson said about the newspapers, 1
went to direct your attention to phase of
newspaper work that Mr.. Jefferson nor any
body else ever contemplated and which has
been the growth of the last ten or fifteen
years. and that is the use of the newSpa-
pers, these instruments OF education and
enlightenment, not for that purpose, but
for the purpose of sitting sand in the eyes
of their readers and to giving out false in
formation and transformation and the dis
semination of falsehoods and arguments
and the presentation of~the worse for the
better reason We have had a glaring illus
tration of this phase of newspaper work in
the employment of Mr.. Bishop. Mr. Bishop,
the bosom friend Of the President his trust
ed agent and lieutenant, was given $40 600
year to run a press bureau to defend the
administration against critics and others
who dared say anything against the man.
agement of the Panama canal.
But the President has not just learned
the value of handling news. This expert
ence in having Mr.. Bishop transmit to those
papers that would take it the news, coIored
and labeled as he fit, respecting the in
ner thought and purpose and wishes of the
executive is by manner of means his
first experience with press agent. have
not all the facts, but could hunt them up:
but l have a pretty good recollection of
what read. recall the fact that when the
war with Spain was on, and the army went
to Guantanamo bay. landed, started on Its
march, almost daily there were kilograms
about the rough riders.
Value Of Press Agents.
II say" said Mr. Tillman, 1.-THE President
of the United States should well know. and
does know. the value of the press agents
do not want to detract one iota from any
Of his well-earned fame. 1 know he has
shown himself by actual votes as the most
popular man who ever offered for the presi-
dency. and all that kind of thing. But the
glamour of success the glory. the halo OF
his achievements do not obscure the actu-
alities / say to you in all seriousness that
Theodore Roosevelt owes more of his sue
cess as public man to the newspaper men
OF this country than any other one instru-
mentality.
And then, see, senator's how he has come
to be President, not only President by acct
dent, but President by the voice of the peo-
pie. See what his attitude is toward this
great estate He threatens, so I hear he
hectors, he reprimands, he causes men to
be discharged. He has the White House
news corralled, and his executive officers
the cabinet-are forbidden to give out items
relating to their special official duties The
news is eolored and sifted to suit his idea
of what 1t ought to be to maintain the
great popularity which he has won, to pre-
serve in the imagination of the people the
hold he has on them.
81 will only illustrate as the saddest ex.
ample. the most pitiful that has ever come
to my knowledge of anything associated
with the name Of a President, the recent
outrage upon Mrs Morris. You are all IA
mihar with the newspaper stories as they
We're allowed to be published by the uro-
prietors. I know Of one instance in which,
the story. straightforward. unvarnished,
was not published because Of a feeling that
the paper would be boycotted, as one paper
has been boycotted, and by executive order
Its representative denied access even to the
executive departments
Mr. T1llman spoke Of the manner OF Mrs
Morris election from the White House and
was interrupted by Mr.. Hale who Claimed
that he was accepting as facts statements
thdt were merely ueIamatory charges, with
out proof.
Mr. Tillman retorted that IL the Senate
would appoint committee to investigate
this matter he would give the names of four
witnesses, "as reputable as you or l." who
viii swear to his statement OF the case Of
brutality.
Read Statement Of Barnes.
Mr.. Tillman then read the account OF the
eJectment as given out by Mr. Barnes.
'I will saw" said Mr. TiIInap "for ~.
Information Of the senator from Maine, that
1t has come to me in one of those little whis-
pers that go about that this thing has been
repeated, only In a milder and less offensive
way. but that another lady OF refinement,
who had sought to get access to the Presi-
dent, had been arrested. carried to the house
OF detention and held as q dangerous per-
son. However. probably all the facts win
come out II the senator and his colleagues
win vote for the resolution which shall
offer. But I. In the interest Of history have
felt willing upon my own responsibility as
senator and as a man. knowing that
might be charged with personal hatred and
malice. as the senator has charged. and