Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1909-01-14
TILLMAN IN THE uMEUGHT
NO SUBJECT RECENTLY HAS
CAUSED SUCH FERvoR
Says He should Have said "Not Con.
traeted" Where Ne Did Say
Undertaken"

Washington. u. C.-No Subject
has been discussed recently at the cap.
ital with such fervor as President
Roosevelt's disclosure OF Senator Till.
mans alleged Connection with an Ore
gon land deal: but the colleagues Of
the South CarolInAn are inclined to
withhold judgment until he has had an
opportunity to explain. II is likely
that when the doors Of the senate open
Monday there will be a crowd awaiting
admittance sufficient TO oil the gal.
leries many times.
The fact that the senate will read
his explanation probably will rob II Of
some Of the sharp and homely epigram
usual to his speech and the effort,
therefore, may be somewhat Of q dis.
appointment to his audience.
Many expressions OF dissatisfaction
are heard because Of the manner in
which the president made public the
material gathered by postofnce In
spectors about Senator TillmRn.
Not In Response to REQUEST.
!. IL pointed out by senators that the
matter sent to Senator Hale was not
in response to the latter's request to
the heads OF the executive depart.
ments for a statement Of the opera
tons of the secret service. as the In
vestigation OF Senator Tillman's al.
legged effort to obtain Oregon lands
was wholly under the postoffice de-
- "A hV
inspectors of that department.
One senatorial leader was heard to
express the opinion that as the presi.
dent had had in his possession for
several months the information gath
cred about Senator Tillman, II was his
duty to instigate n prosecution II he
believed the facts warranted action.
II was rumored Sunday that the
president has told friend that an eff
fort was made by Senators Hale and
Aldrich TO suppress the facts about
Senator Tillman. Undoubtedly this
impression was gained at the White
House by a visit TO the president by
Mr.. Hale, who suggested that the mat
ter relating TO Mr.. Tillman should be
withdrawn. II is said that the Maine
senator did not base the request upon
the ground that It was not properly a
reply TO the demand for information
about the secret service; but because
OF the fact that Senator Tiliman Is in
poor health and the charge was liable
to arouse him TO a pitch Of excitement
dangerous TO his life
Hale Would Not Make II Public.
President Roosevelt declined to
withdraw the reference 10 Mr.. Tillman
and when Senator Hale would not
make It public. he decided TO do so
himself.
There is no question that the condi.
ton OF Senator Tillman's health is
serious. When he went TO Europe last
March. he was in a highly nervous
state The trip resulted In a marked
Improvement, but for some time his
friends have noticed that his nervous
ness was returning.
Some Of the senators who have ex.
amined the evidence say that II the
facts are as represented, the offense
was one OF improperly and indiscre-
ton. But that no criminality is In
volved. II was said that Mr.. Tillman
might have introduced his resolution
calling upon the department OF justice
to begin proceedings TO compel the
sale OF the Oregon land at $3.50 an
acre. In accordance with the original
grant and at the same time apply for
some Of the land without making him.
self the target for the severe criticism.
The feature of the disclosure most
deplored by Senator Tillman's col.
leagues 10 the appearance Of an effort
20 hide the fact that he was an appli.
cant for nine quarter sections under
the terms OF the original grant.
In his statement last February. the
senator said he had not bought any
western land nor had he undertaken"
to buy any.
The evidence submitted by the
President shows that prior to this
statement, MIR. Tillman had made ap.
plication for nine quarter sections.
Defending himself, against the appear.
ance OF having made a misleading
statement Senator Tillman told his
friends that he should have said on the
floor that he had not contracted" TO
buy any land and that the whole case
against him had been built on the in
depreciation placed upon the word
undertaken"