The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1909-01-12
DONE FOR SPIT:
Roosevelt Links Senator Tillman
With Land Grab Deal.
BATTLE HAS BEGUN

President Gives Out Result of secre'
investigation - Tilllnan Admit: limits
Having Tried to Obtain Land IN
the West-Wanted Sections for
Himself, Family and Secretary.
washington, D. c., Jan. S.-Presi-
dent Roosevelt tonight made public
the details of an investigation DS
8. postoffice inspectors ard secret ser
vice agents of Senator Tillman's con-
nection with an alleged land grab
in Oregan. AS he presents the EVIL
dence to Senator Hale, in response
to the latter's request to the heads
!. of the various executive departments
for a statement of the operations OF
the secret service, the President un-
dertakes to show:
!. That Mr.. Tillman used his 1ntiu-
!. ence as a Senator in an effort 70
force the Government to compel a
S,3railroad corporation to relinqulsh
hts control of land grants from the
81 United States in order that he and
4 his family and his secretary, J. 3.
. knight, might profit through the
purchase of some of the land;
\ That the Senator used his Gov
= ernment franking privilege in nu-
n,arous instances for the conduct OF
private business.
Comparatively few Senator'S were
favored with the opportunity 81
reading the Presidents report to
( Senator Hale, but those who did read
the report took a serious view OF IT,
although most of the Senator'S re-
fused to believe that Mr.. Tillman had
ever done anything in violation Oh
his oath as Senator.
Senator Tillman does not permis
the fact that the President was giving
out the charges against him to alter
his determination to make no state
ment until Monday. He said that
ne could not make his reply SO COM
J nlete as. ne would desire for To-
morrow's papers, and that ne Wouln
therefore withhold whatever remarks
he might have to make until Monday
when he would make statement te
the Senate. No effort was MADE Dy
-..ss,,lJn to conceal the fact that when ne
had learned the facts concerning the
railroad grant he had made an ell
fort to obtain portions of the lana
in the names OF himself and members
of his family, but declared that as
at most, he could have gotten pos
session of only few hundred acres
r>r6is efforts were, after all, in behalf
of the public and not especially IN
his own interest.
Will Reply Monday.
Immediately after the conclusion
of the chaplain's prayer Monday Mr.
Tillman will ask the recognition OIL
the Chair on question of personal
privilege. Departing from his GUS
tom of extemperaneous speaking, ne
will read his statement, thus lnsur-
ing more careful adherence to what
he desires to say than he would be
able to give in an offhand speech.
The communication to Senator
Hale is nearly 5000 words long, ana
in addition there are appended nu-
merous exhibits including copies
4 of letters written by Senator TIL
] man and his agent, William E. Lee
showing that they did make an ell
fort to secure several quarter sec-
tions of the Oregan land, and the
-enorts of the postoffice inspectors
who investigated the transactions OF
the land agents. 1t was throus
this investigation that the allese1
interest of Senator Tillman was
brought to light, and fatefully, j.
appears, that it was at his lAs"-
CATION that the inquiry was begun.
The Presidents communication 20
Senator Hale opens with the state
ment that he had secured for the
Senator information touching tn
employment of special attorneys,
special agents, inspectors, ETC., anu
the report conveying this informa-
tion he was transmitting. Then he
saws that it is mot only the right
hut the duty of Congress to lnvestl-
gate the workings Of the secret serv-
ice or detective agents by when
\ alone the Government can effectually
safeguard itself against wrong do
4 ing, punish crime, and bring to JUS
tice criminals"
The President continues:
would like to state here tha'
very frequently accusations have
been made to me privately by mem
hers of the two houses to the Ell
feet that the secret service has been
used as police of morals, or to
shadow Senator'S, Congressman and
other public officials. Hitherto the
effort to discover the basis for such
allegations has always been fruit
less. I should be greatly obliged II
any information could be furnished
me tending to show any instance
where this has been done in times
past"
The President enters upon a dis