The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1908-02-07

which tn blood of the prophets were
prayed to &c visited upon this nation
of ours. Reed Smoot by his own tes-
timony, on oath. said that if the time
ever came when he must choose be-
tween his duty under his oath to tho
Mormon church n the duty he owed
to the government under the oath he
had assumed as senator he would
leave the country. IT occurred to mo
that Reed Smoot was not the best
qualified man that the state of Utah
might have sent to that great body to
enact law for the people of this
try to observe.
Rate Regulation.
Much criticism has been made
about my attitude in on rats
legislation, and the statement is made
that our days before the vote was
east on the railway rate legislation
two years age I declared that ! had
aot read the bin. Tina, is absolutely
false, and tho men and the papers
who stated it knew it to be false.
(Cheers.)
Early in February, 1906, three
months before the first amendment
was voted upon in the senate OF tho
United States, three months and .
half before the final vote was taken
upon that bill. and while that rate
bill was pending before the proper
committee OF the senate OF the United
States. l did state that l hadn't ex-
amined the bill they had under con
side,ation. They had any number Of
bills before them which had been in
troduced by amy nulnber of PERSONS
They had a bill that had come over
to them from the house.
A Lie Nailed.
On the first day of March, 1905.
two months before the first amend
ment OF that bill was voted upon,
Two months and a half before tho
final vote Upon that measure was had.
l gave a public interview stating that
l Would vote for a railroad rate bill
to be strengthened, if strengthened il
might be, l would vote for the bill
that came from the house to be 50
amended il that should be desired.
| And that appears of record and In
the public print. That bill was re-
ported to the senate in February.
1906, and as l have stated the first
vote upon the first amendment hap
pcned two months thereafter, and So
amendments in all were made to that
blli, all OF them at the suggestion and
with the approval of President Rooso-
Welt and his attorney general, Mr..
Moody; and among other aInend-
men,s proposed to that measure was
one putting sleeping car and express
car companies under the provision Of
that measure. That Was an amend
mcnt suggested by me. (A~pplause.)
Concerning my record on that propo-
sition there is a hat clear
Iy establishes it. 1t often happens in
Washington that in the multitude of
duties a senator must perform upon
conference committees and otherwise
he can rush from committee room to
the senate when a vote is had, and all
through this rate legislation l had
been acting in fun accord every day.
every hour with Senator Nelson Of
Minnesota, and one day, and it is the
only time l vas absent when a vote
was taken, and there were hundreds
Of them upon those amendments
Senator Nelson stated upon the floor
of the senate, which appears in the
Congressional Record, Il matter Of
record open to all:
The Nelson Letter.
"On behalf of the Senator from
South Dakota, Mr.. kittredge. l wish
to state that he has a general pair
Patterson, and he desired to have mo
state that he would vote on these
questions as I vote We're he present
And the president stated in regard
TO the conduct of Senator Nelson a.
follows:
White House. Washington. Oct, IA.
1906.
My Dear Mr.. Baker:
In answer to you question II Is q
matter of simple justice to say THAI
Senator Nelson was n of the moS4
potent forces In securing the passage
Of the inter state commerce law In
The excellent shape in which II Wao
passed. l was In close touch with him
at all stages Of the contest and he
and l were in entire harmony
throughout. Senator Nelson was. ono
OF the men to whom we owe most IN
connection with the passage OF the
measure and who acted throughout
with transparent good faith cour-
age. Sincerely yours,
Theodore Roosevelt.
"Silcnt' RIA No Longer.
In the face Of records such as that
1t is indeed surprising thai my should
~misrepr'sent rae as they do. The only
way 1 can understand it at eli is tha1
Tor twenty-five years, and it has
been thai long siace L began in a
simple way to indulge in politics.
this is the first time that l have wei
opened by mouth in answer to these
men who, without regard to truth
think that they can. say anythlnA
about me and l viii remain SILENT
tLaughter.l That dav a passed
(Applause.)
1t Is said that during the six years
that ! have been in the senate
never Hnsd my voice regarding local
issues: that 1 have never favored any
Of h measures which are for the
benefit Of the people. l had hoped
| had expected that when the repub1
leans Of this great state honored me
far beyond my deserts with a seat IN
the United States senate, and when
had the ambition to perform to the
limit my share of the work at WASH
ington. l might very wen leave local
matters for the republicans OF tho
state Of South Dakota to determine.
and there Is no man living in this
state who does not know that l have
religiOusly adhered to that course for
the six years past.
During tn six years in Washing
ton, ! speak with elaboration, ] have
been an absolute slave to duty. {Cries
OF I'VE know il, Hit.)" 1 have be-
begun work there 1T I O'Clock in tho
morning every morning. and ] have
worked late at night. Not an inteYS
est Of the state OF South Dakota o.
any citizen called to my attention hal
been neglected, AMI in running r.
rands about the department OF wash.
ingtOn. l a walked until blister4
were upon the soles OF my feet
%~IAA9hter.) N was my ambition.