Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-16
T|LLMAN HAS FLOOR
CritiCises Administrations
Financial Policy.
REVIEWS STEPS TAKEN
Criticises Increase of the Public
Debt.
PAYS RESPECTS TO PRESIDENT
Regards Him as a Patriot, Though
Guilty of Many In
discretions.
PAYS RESPECTS TO PRESIDENT

In the Senate this afternoon after the
close of routine business Senator Tillman
took the floor to make few remarks
upon the administrations financial policy,
as it developed recently by the acts of the
Secretary of the Treasury, indorsed by
President Roosevelt. In anticipation of
some lively work with the pitchfork with
the administration on the tongs, Senator
Tillman had a good-szed audience when
he began to talk.
In the course of his remarks Mr.. Till
man said he believed that President
Roosevelt was a patriot, and that while
he had been guilty of many indiscretions
and said many things which in cooler mo-
ments he would have been willing to take
out of print he did not believe the Pres-
dent felt any satisfaction whatever in
having been instrumental in the present
financial paralysis as had been charged.
Relief Measures Reviewed.
Senator Tillman reviewed the incidents
of the recent financial panic, bringing his
summary down to the time when Secre-
tary Cortelyou, as he termed it, emptied
the Treasury of the United States into
Wall street. He explained that he meant
by that the deposit of government funds
by the Secretary in government 5epos-
itories in New York. He then recited the
other phases of relief taken by Secretary
CorteIyou, namely, the issuance Of Pan
anna canal bonds and of the 3 per cent
certificates of Indebtedness of the gov
ernment.
Senator Tillman remarked at this stage
that he was very curious to know who
obtained these securities. He said he
thought it would be interesting to know
to whom the bonds and cert rtficates were
allotted.
Senator Tillman then proceeded to the
legal aspect Of the transaction, and de-
clared that he wanted somebody with
sufficient legal knowledge and familiarity
with constitutional law to say whether
the Secretary of the Treasury had author
ity at law in issuing these bonds and
certificates. He contended that there are
specific limitations for the issuance of
Panama canal bonds and certificates of
Indebtedness, aud he wanted to know
whether the Secretary had compiled with
the letter of the law and the spirit Of the
law. He questioned the necessity of in
creasing the public debt to build the Pan
anna canal. He recalled how the repub-
licans had denounced the Cleveland ad-
ministrations for increasing the public
debt to protect the gold reserve and he
contrasted the action of the Cleveland ad-
ministration with the acton of the pres
ent administration in increasing the pub
lie debt when there is a surplus of S224.-
100000 In the Treasury.
Presidents Alleged Remark.
At this point Senator Tillman departed
for few moments from the discussion
of financial questions to indulge in one of
his characteristic passages. He first
quoted from President Roosevelt's mes
sage to Congress paying a high tribute to
the honesty and integrity of business
men and institutions of the country and
the: aontrasted with it the alleged re-
mark of President Roosevelt to ex-Mayor
Dahlman of Omaha, who called at the
White House the other day. Senator Till
man remarked that this was one of the
Presidents cowboy friends, who, although
the cabinet was in session, obtained i'm
mediate audience with the President. He
quoted the remark which the President is
said to have made to Mr.. Dahlman to the
feet that Mr. Dahlman should tell the
boys out in Omaha that If this panic was
caused by the attacks of the President on
the rotten financial foundation of the
country he was glad of it.
Senator Til.m said he would like to
find out who struck Billie Patterson"
He would like to know who had dealt
this blow at the farmers, the merchants
the miners and the manufacturers of the
country.
Blames Spectators.
Senator Tilman then branched Off into
a discussion of financial conditions in the
south and west, the scarcity Of currency
and the use of clearing house certificates.
He then brought his remarks around to
caustic comment upon New York stock
gambling and the evils of speculation. He
charged the present stringency mainly to
the pirates and buccaneers of Wall
street and their methods of watered
stocks and the like.
COTTON OVERESTIMATED.