The searchlight. [volume] (Culbertson, Mont.) 1902-current, 1909-01-15
Senator Declares Ro0sevelt's
Charges Are Based on Per.
s0nal Malice.
ASKS RIGID INVESTIGATION
Says He Never Attempted to Deceive
Anybody-ArIumeat and ID.
yective Mixed.

NssBihStoh, Jan. 13.-Belng greet
ed by applause from the galleries
when Re entered the senate chamber
yesterday TO reply to President Roose-
. vclt's structures in respect to his con.
nection with Oregon timber land
transactions. Senator Tillman of South
Carolina proceeded to read his pre-.
pared remarks with little attempt al
oratorical effect. He was accorded
careful attention by senators On both
SIDES cf the chamber. the public and
prfyate galleries being taxed to their
full cape city by visitors.
Charges Personal Malice.
Mr.. Tillman accused the president
81 personal malice. Misrepresentation,
Justification. cowardice, hitting be-
low The belt" contempt OF the senate
and violation OF the law in use Of the
rervite. lie charged that important
rarers bearing on the case had been
stolen from his desk at the capitol.
probably by some Of the secret sery.
ice sleuths." He arraigned the presi.
dent for permitting the so.called steel
trust to absorb the Tennessee Coal
and Iron company and for helping
his dear friend Hartman" hold 1000.
oC0 acres of the public domain. be.
cause Tillman wanted to buy LAO
rcres.
Asks Investigation.
The senator demanded the most rig.
Id investigation OF his conduct. He ad.
nittcd that he was perhaps disin.
genrous in the statement to the sen.
ate dscl"ring that he had not bought
nor undertaken TO buy" any OF the
lands In question. Everything, he de-
claied, hinged on the meaning of the
word undertaken" as he used II. He
had not paid any money. nor had he
taken any ones receipts, "the usual
process by which one undertakes to
buy land"
Not Guilty.
81 have not attempted to deceive
anybody" he declared VIII emphasis:
81 have not told any 'sisehoods: I
have not broken any Law: | have not
been guilty of any immoral conduct.
I had the right to purchase the land II
I could"
Replying 10 the presidents charge
that he had made improper use OF
his official position. Mr.. Tillman said:
Il fail to see any sense or reason
In this attitude. had not become
party to any litigation: was not in
terested. except as a private individ.
ual wanting to purchase, and as sen.
a'or desiring to enable others to have
the opportunity to do so.
.'Of course. the president is sure
that l have done something very dis
creditable and outrageous. He hates
me and would destroy me II he could"
Roast President Later.
"The president lives in glass
house. with even glass floor In 1t.
and should remember The old adage.
He has exerted all the power OF the
government TO destroy me. but feel
that stand unscathed. because II all
other arguments fail TO convince men
the character for rectitude. truthful
ness and honesty which have builded
in the sixty-ona years of my life would
at last be my bulwark. Men who have
always beeen clean and honorable do
euuutHlS utSohif anu
critics at sixty-one without any neees.
sitv.
Later en- in this session II Is my
purpose to devote some time to bring
ing Theodore Roosevelt face TO face
with his true self and let the people
of the United States see what charac-
ter OF many they have been so bowed
down to-"
In the House.
After undergoing a stormy discus.
sion in the house of representatives
yesterday the resolution authorizing
the granting of permits to the cor, nit.
tee on inaugural ceremonies ami the
use of the pension Office building for
the inaugural ball, was compelled to
20 over for two weeks before final ac
ton will be taken upon it.
As 1t stands the section relating to
the pension building was stricken out
and a further amendment was male
refusing permission to extend over.
head wires into the structure II was
manifest from the outset that the ma.
1ority of those present was opposed -
the nan sim once nfOn0slrtpu