The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1908-01-24
TILLMAN AFTER CORTELYOU.
Secretary Says Resolution Calling for
Information on Panama Bond
Issue Means Considerable
Work.

Washington, January 2O.-Just be-
fore the senate adjourned today Sen
ator Aldrich received letter from
Secretary Cortelyou explaining the
delay that has been experienced IN
nis reply to the resolution calling on
him for information concerning the
recent Panama Canal bond issue, and
the letter was promptly laid before
the senate. Earlier in the day Sena-
tor Tillman INDUCED in caustic COM
ment on what he characterized as the
-secretary's apparent "disoDedlence :"
to a senate resolution.
In MS letter Mr. Cortelyou says:
II am sorry that there should
have been a misunderstanding as to
the time when my answer to the SEN
ate resolution regarding the treasury
operations should be. sent in. Had L
been advised Of your request to
know when it might be expected l
would have replied that I required a
little more time to go over the mass
Of figures it involved. It is my de-
sire. Of course, that all business OF
this kind shall be disposed OF
promptly, but this matter is so I'M
portant that I have felt it desirable
That every feature of the report
should be clearly stated, both for the
information of the sanate and IN
justice to the department. It is my
desire and intention to submit COM
plete response to the resolution, and
I hope to have it ready in the course
Of the next few day~in all proba-
bility about the beginning of next
week.
'':Tha amount Of work involved in
the PREPARATION Of such voluminous
data may be fully appreciated by
some, but it should be remembered
that the forces in all the bureaus
here which have to do Intimately
with financial matters have been for
weeks working overtime on the regu-
lar business Of the department, and
to have this duty put upon them II
addition materially increased their
burdens.
Mr.. Tillman opened this question
in the senate by inquiring whether
the vice president had received a re-
ply to the resolution for the secre-
tary Of the treasury.
"Nothing yet," sreponded the vice
president.
"It's a little curious that al Of
fcer Of the government should be
willing. to occupy the attitude OF
disobedience after we have given hlm
considerable time to send in this IN
formation,' said Mr.. Tillman.
Cortelyou's Course Strange.
'The currency bill is to be brought
in and pressed for consideration
and it seems strange that the secre-
tary Of the treasury, who is direct
ly responsible for our financial af-
fairs, should refuse to send in a re-
port giving the information we
nee,..'
Chairman Aldridh, Of the finance
committee, who was out Of the room
when Mr.. Tillman made the inquiry.
) re-entered the room at this juncturs
Just as Senator Platt suggested that
ne be called.
"We are told" cotinued Mr.. Till
man, ''dhat Secretary Cortelyou is
i'll, but he was not too i'll to 60 to
New York to make speech. 1t
seems extraordinary, phenomenal,
that we cannot get report from
him.
''The fact is,'' said Mr.. Alirieh,
"the papers were il form to be pres
ented and they were placed before
Secretary Cortelyou, but he found in
order to make the presentation to
the senate IN a form satisfactory to
himself it would require longer time
than vas supposed.
'sThe criticism in the Senate as to
that action led for Secretary to
make a frank and explicit answer to
all suggestions as to what he had
done with the bonds anf certificates
Of indebtedness. The Secretary as
-sured me this morning that he is
preparing this matter as rapidly as
,,occ;hlo -