The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-05-15
MAKES REPLY TO
SENATOR T|LLMAN
President Explains His Posi-
tion in the Alleged Veracity
Squabble.
ATTY. MOODY'S VERSION
CONTRARY TO SENSATIONAL
STATEMENTS OF TILLMAN, AT
ToRNEY GENERAL is WITH
ROOSEVELT.
Publishers Press1

Washington, May 14.-President
Roosevelt tonight made reply to the
recent charge of Senator Tillman in
The Senate forum that he had surrep-
titiously betrayed the minority sena-
tors in their negotiations with him on
the railway rate bill. and his compro-
mise with the railroad senators" at q
time when victory for the friends of
rate legislation was at hand.
The reply is in the form of letter
to Senator Allison, of Iowa, accompa-
MED by carefully prepared state
ment from Attorney-Gener Moody
Moody With Roosevelt.
The latter gives his version of the
conference with Senators Tillman and
Bailey in an entirely different light
than so sensationaly portrayed by
Mr.. Tillmau and the Democratic lead.
er, Mr.. Bailey, and strikes at the heart
of the charges by saying:
There was nothing in the conversa-
tion between the senators (Tillman
and Bailey and me which in any way
bound you (the president) to any par
ticular amendment, or in the slightest
degree impaired your liberty at any
time to acquiesce to any amendment
which you should deem expedient and
in the public interest"
The president denies that the con-
ferehces with Senator Tillman were
On his initiative.
81 was asked to see ex-senator
Chandler as the representative of Mr..
Tillman," he writes, who he declares
stated the views OF Mr.. Tillman, SEEM
ingly with autnority."
Ignores Denunciation.
He ignores entirely the alleged de-
nunciation of Senators Spooner For
aker and Knox, which Mr.. Chandler
explained was the reason assigned by
the president for wanting to consult
with the democrats. and WHICH the
president has already publicly char
acterized, through Senator Lodge, as
q deliberate falsehood."
On the question of the. alleged be-
trayal the president writes:
II finally became convinced that it
was impossible for senators with ad-
vantage to use me as the intermediary
in coming to an agl<ement with their
colleagues, especially when they only
communicated with me through IN
other intermediary"
1t is understood that Senator Allison
will try to have the correspondence
read in the senate tomorrow. Sena-
tor Tillman, who claims to have some
material in reserve, has declared that
he will prove the president "a trait
or"
Roosevelt's Conclusion.
In concluding his letter to Allison
the President said:
"To- almost every amendment pro-
posed by anyone. | found that there
were excellent men who objected. or
who at least wished to change it, and
/ finally became convinced that it
was impossible for Senators with an
vantage to use me as the intermedi-
ary in coming to an agreement with
their colleagues, especially when the
only communicated with me through
another intermediary. and | earnestly
suggested to all to whom spoke that
they should communicate with you,
whose purpose and mine were iden-
tical. About this time | was informed
by various Democratic senators that
they could not come to an agreement
upon any amendment, and that the
best chance for success lay in pass
ing the Hepburn bill substantially un-
changed. / was informed and be-
lieved that this was Senator Bailey's
view; and number of the Republi-
can senators who favored the bill ex-
pressed the same opinion.
Visit of Senator culIom.
Shortly after this you, in CON-
pany with Senator Cullom. called up
on me with the amendment which is
Continued on Page Three.)