The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-05-18

Washington, May 15.-While the de-
bate on the personnel of the interstate
commerce commission was in progress
in the senate today, Senator Tfllman
took the floor 10 make n statement on
behalf or ex-senator Chandler. which
has been momentarily expected since
Senator Lodges conveyance last sat
urday TO the senate Of the presidents
emphatic denial of some of the state
Iments attributed 10 Mr. Chandler by
the South Carolina senator.
Mr.. Tillman read the portion OF Mr..
Chambers memoranda of his confer
fences with the president which mas
heretofore been given TO h public,
iprefacing it with a brief statement or
his own. saying that on Saturday the
senate had been startled and moru-
fed 10 hear the u~tterances OF an ex-
member denounced on behalf of the
ipresident as "a dliberate and %unquali-
fled falsehood.' AS he had been re-
lsponsible for introducing the subject
L 4Ioh NooSNh ~
IChandler he felt under obligations 10
Iplaee him right on the record. To
That end he read the ex-Senatora
statement.
The reading of that statement was
followed by the following from Mra
Tillman:
There are only two points in thu
IpresiAent's letter which l deem wor~
I.L- - ,,+ina His affanH nfQd aYnlan1a
Ition is ingenius, but not ingenuouss
He calls in question the integrity on
purpose of utterance Of Mr..
by declaring:
He was asked to G ex-SenaUor
IChandler as representing Mr.. TillmaD.
who was in charge of the bin. Ha
stated to me the views of Mr.. Tillmau
with seeming authority.
Mfr. Chandler has declared most
Ipositively in a written statement that
the president sent for him for the
purpose Of getting into communities
Ition with Senator Bailey and myself.
land he has produced the letter OF
Mr.. Loeb.
Il now declare most emphatically
that to no human being have ! ever
given authority or even expressed a
WISH ~ HdFe dHN coIiC N11C "A-&
Theodore Roosevelt in regard TO the.
bill now under consideration. On the
contrary | have expressed the opinion
i'm more thar one published interview
that he had nothing TO do with II,
iand that il wa the business OF the
senate and while | did, at his request,
enter into negotiations with the at
itorney-general. il is vel known to
e- .--,.D rs, shic annr uhaf INV
attitude and feelings have been, and
il is most remarkable while the pres-
Iident sent for democrat after demo-
crat TO confer with him about this
measure that he should undertake IN
der the circumstances to assert that
sent an agent 10 him to begin nego-
tiations. The statement Is absurd on
its face.
The other point 10 which / saalI
refer IS the cavalier a in which Mr..
Moody discusses the idea OF the presl-
dent not being bound.
while co%ntraficting in no instance
however slight my statement of what
occurred, the attorney general seems
10 think that the code Of honor among
gentlemen is not binding upon the x
l~ecutive and his cabinet.
The president asked him to see Mr..
BAILEY and myself. We met by ap-
Ipointment made by Senator Chandler
and talked over the vital question lie
wrote and sent 10 Mr.. Bailey his IN
Iderstanding Of our views. and when we
met subsequently We reached absolute
agreement, both as TO the form and
the substance Of a proposed amend
lment TO which he said the president
would assent and help get votes for.