The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1909-01-15
TILLMAN'S REPLY
To ROOSEVELT
SOUTH CAROLINA SENATOR
MAKES scATHINe REFERENCE
TO PRESIDENT.
DENIES GUILT OF WRONG DOING
Admits Trying To Get Land, But
Says Conduct Was Not
improper.

: WASHINGTON. Jan. lit wa
: evident from the time that the publ,
doors of the Capitol were opened toda!
that Senator Tillman's reply to thu
. Presidents charges against him il
} connection with an oregon land gran
; would receive the attention of an audi
: ence commensurate with the seating
capacity of the Senate chamber.
The fact that the South Garolins
Senator would make response to the
allegations of the Chief Executive had
been widely and persistently adver
tised and the number of faces early
turned in the direction of the Senate
was convincing proof that there were
many who desired to hear the Sena.
tors side of the controversy. There
was such pressure for seats on the
part of Senator's families that the
private Senatorial gallery was opened
as early as 10 O'Clock. and the doors
had no sooner swung outward than
the crowd poured in. There were,
however, so many in the corridors
that the withdrawal of the few who
found seats made very little difference
! in the appearance of the outside
crowd.
The public galleries were also
opened at an early hour and were
promptly filled. The pressure was so
great, however, and the throng became
so dense and the rush so strong that
women screamed, and many of them
had their wraps torn from them. Prob
ably not one-fifth of the people in the
corridors found access to the CALLER
les. man who gave his name as G.
R. L. Grout, of this city, was caught
in the crush in the Senate galleries
and injured about the head and
tainted.
AS Vi ONh0SCl
in the chamber three minutes before
the Vice President had taken his seat
gave the galleries an unusual oppor-
tunity for demonstration of hand
clapping without being called to order,
and a round of applause was given
the South Carolina Senator as ne pro-
ceeded to his seat.
The attendance of Senators was not
large when Vice President
Fairbanks assembled to his seat as pre-
siding officer. The assemblage was
called to order and Rev. Edward Ev-
ward Everett Hale, the Chaplain, de-
ivered the usual invocation.
The reading of the journal had hard
Y been ordered when Senator Culber-
son, of Texas, asked unanimous con- ,
tent that that procedure be dispensed 3
With, and Senator Tillman arose with
printed copy of his remarks in his
land. In deliberate tones he proceed I
d to excuse himself for the unusual .
Procedure of reading his speech on +
he ground that he was replying to the 9
resident in an unusual attack upon a a
enator. The metallic and piercing
dice of the South Carolina Senator .
'as kept within control as he proceed b
d. The galleries indulging in no out "
reak although there was occasion :,
suppressed laughter when Mr.. Till ,,
ian declared that the President had a.
laced him in the Ananias Club. On &C.
lie part of the Senators present Mr.. J :,
illman was given the closest atten-
on. After he began speaking almost .
very Senator's seat was occupied and
q rear of the chamber was filled -
it'll members of the House of Repre- n
natives.
A peal of laughter came when Mr..
llman declared that he had not "
own that the Executives hide"
d been so greatly stung by the darts
had sent at him at various times
len he had criticised him in the
nate. When he suggested that int
ubtless the President believed that en-
; pitchfork had gone out of bust Du
S." another roar of laughter came, RI
the Vice President admonished Col
: galleries that applause of any A
i'd was not permitted. cal
dr. Tillman kept closely to his sn'
nuscript as he proceeded, except taR
en- he referred to Mr.. Hartman as Joil
e Presidents dear friend" who held DIN
10000 acres of the land in question.
looked over his eyeglasses and, col
ncing around the chamber, added: cor
'ssibly the relations are not so In are
ate now, but speak OF what the SIX
ltions used to be-" 1
eferring to HIS efforts to purchase eau
lie of the Oregon timber land. Mr.. und
a.. a