Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-01-15
coNTRADIcTS TILLMAN.
Attorney General Says He Was Not
In the Senator's Confidence.

Washington, Jan. 12.-Attorney Cen
eral Bonaparte tonight issued a state
ment replying to that part Of the speech
Of Senator Tillman, delivered yester-
day, in which he declared the resolu-
ton in regard to the Oregon land
grants, introduced by him in the SEN
ate on January 31st, 1908, had been
prepared by. the attorney general and
that his interest in the matter had
been first aroused by a desire to pur-
chase some Of the timber land" Mr..
Bonaparte also replied to Senator Till
mans remark made in the senate last
February that he had not bought any
land anywhere in the west or under
taken to buy any"
Mr. Bonaparte sets forth that suits
against those holding the Oregon lands
involved in the case have been insti-
tuted, q fact that could have been
ascertained by any one upon inquiry
of his department any time within
the past four months. Mr.. Tillman
had intimated no steps had been TAX
en- despite the resolution passed.
The attorney general disputes the
senator's statement that the latter had
informed him in their conversation that
it was the senator's wish to acquire
some of the lands. Mr.. Bonaparte sets
forth that he did not know Senator
Tillman had any personal interest in
the matter. Says Mr.. Bonaparte:
He never told me wcrd Of any
connection on his part with an arrange
ment to acquire some part Of these
lands, nor that he intended, expected
or even desired, at that time, to make
any such purchase. AS stated by him
his reason for making these Inquiries
was that he might better discharge his
public duties; and I was totally ignor-
ant until 1 saw the documents trans
mitted by the president to Senator
Hale that Senator Tillman, at the time
of his conversation with me, had any
private interest, whether actual or in
expectation, in connection with the
subject of our conversation. gave him
a full statement Of the information
which had been collected by the depart
ment as the result of a protracted in
vestigation made by Messrs. Townsend
and McBlair, a special counsel, and
which had continued during a consid-
cradle part Of the preceding year. l
told him also that we deemed it ad-
visable to secure congressional action
in the form of a resolution empowering
the attorney general to claim a forfeit
ure of these lands, and that I felt some
apprehension lest such action should
be opposed by the large interests which
it would affect.
Senator Tillman then offered to In
troduce a resolution on the subject, If
I would prepare one; and / did prepare
such a resolution which was introduced
by him and subsequently adopted
During this interview l explained to
him that it would be impracticable tc
compel the corporations claiming these
lands to sell any particular portion
of them to any particular person; al
though. Of course, If the government
could establish a forfeiture of rights
under the grant, the lands might be-
come afterwards open to entry on the
same terms as any other portion Of
the public domain. OF course, II 1t
was at the time his purpose to secure
some part of the lands in question,
this forfeiture might tend to promote
reason to credit him with any such
purpose, and 1 dealt with him through
out as asking the information and ad-
vice 1 could give, only that he might
fulfill his duty as a public officer"