Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-05-16
TILLMAN CONTINUES
To Explain His Charges Against Prcsi-
dent on the Rate Bill.

Washington, May 15.--While the dc
bate on the personnel Of the Interstate
Commerce Commission was in pro-
gross in tho Senate today. Snnat or
Tillman took IT, i',.rr 20 make Il state
mcui in behalf nf Ex-senator Chan1-
Ter which In" been 1nnmcutarily cx-
pcctcd since senator Lodges convey
ance last Saturday to the Senate Of
the Presidents emphatic denial Of the
statements attributed to Mr.. Chandler
by the South Carolina senator
Mr.. Tillman read the portion of Mr..
Chambers memorandum Of his confer
enceS with the President which has
heretofore been given to the public,
prcfHcirg it with brief statement
of his own saying that on Saturday
the Senate had been startled and
mortified to hear the uttcranccs of an
eX-memDer denounced on behalf Of tn"
President rs ''dcIibcrate and unquali-
fed faIschood." AS he had been re
sponSiblo for Introducing tho subject
which had caused the attack on Mr..
Chandler he felt under obligations to
place him right on the record TO
that end he read the cx-scnator's state
mcnt.
TIL" reading nf that statement was
followed By the following from Mr..
Tiiman:
There are only two points i'm the
Presidents letter which ! deem worthy
of notice" His attempted explanation
is ingenious but not ingenious. He
calls in question the integrity Of pur-
pose and uttcrancc of Mr.. Chandler by
declaring: HE was asked to see Ex-
Senator Chandler as representing Mr.
Tilman who was in charge of the bill.
He stated to me the views Of Mr.. TILL
man with seeming authority"
"lTr. Chandler has declared most posi-
lively in written statement that tho
President sent for him for the purpose Of
getting into communication with Senator
Bailey and myself and he has produced
the letter of Mr.. Loeb.
II now declare most cmphatically that
TO no human being have | ever given au-
thoritv or expressed a wish to have any
conference with Theodore Roosevelt in
regard to the bill now under conSidcra-
tion. On the contrary. I have expressed
the opinion in more than one published
interview that he had nothing to do with
II and that it was the business of the
Senate; and while I did, ut his request
enter into negotiation with tho attorney
general. 1t is well known to every senator
on this floor what my attitude and feel
incs have been. and it is most remarkable
while the President for Democrat after
Democrat TO confer with him about this
measure that he should undertake under
the circumstances to assert that I sent
an agent to him to begin negotiations
The statement IS absurd on its face
while cOntradicting in no instance
however slight. my statement of what
occurred. the attorney general seems to
think that the code of honor among gen.
tle,ren is not binding upon the President
and his cabinet.
.'The President asked him t. see Mr.
Bailey and myself. We met by appoint
ment made by Senator Chandler and talk
cd over the vital question He wrote ana
sent to Mr.. Bailey his understanding Of
orr views and when We met subsequently,
ne reached absolute agreement both as
to the form and the substance of pro-
nosed amendment to which he said tn.
president would assist and help get votes
for.