Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1909-01-14
SENATOR T|LlMAN REPLIES
Senator Declares ROosevelt'S Charges
Are Based on Personal
Malice.

washington, Jan. l3.-Belng greet
ed by applause from the galleries
when he entered the senate chamber
yesterday to reply to President Roose-
velt'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 at
oratorical effect He was accorded
careful attention by senators on both
sides of the chamber, the public and
private galleries being taxed to their
full capacity by visitors.
Charges Personal Malice.
Mr.. Tillman accused the president
of personal malice, misrepresentation,
Justification, cowardice, hitting be-
low the belt" contempt Of the senate
and violation of the law in use of the
service. He charged that important
papers bearing On the case had been
stolen from his desk at the capitol.
probably by some Of the secret serv-
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 2,000,-
900 acres of the public domain, be-
cause Tillman wanted to buy LAO
acres.
Asks Investigation.
The senator demanded the most rig
id Investigation of his conduct He ad.
mitted that he was perhaps disin-
genuous in the statement to the SEN
ate declaring that he had not bought
nor undertaken to buy" any Of the
clared, hinged on the meaning of the
word undertaken" as he used it. 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 with emphasis;
81 have not told any falsehoods;
have not broken any law; I have not
been guilty of any immoral conduct
I had the right to purchase the land if
could"
Replying to the presidents charge
that he. had made improper use of
his official position, Mr. Tillman said:
II fail to see any sense or reason
in this attitude. I had not become a
party to any litigation; I was not in
terested, except as a private individ-
ua1 wanting to purchase, and as a SEN
ator desiring to enable others to have
the opportunity to do so.
"Of course, the president is sure
that I have done something very dis
creditable and outrageous. He hates
me and would destroy me if he could"
Roast President Later.
"The president lives in a glass
house, with even a glass floor in it,
and should remember the old adage.
He has eXerted all the power Of the
government to destroy me, but I feel
that I stand unscathed, because if all
other arguments fail to convince men
the character for rectitude, truthful
ness and honesty which have builded
in the siXty-One years of my life would
at last be my bulwark. Men who have
always beeen clean and honorable do
not suddenly become liars and hypo-
critics at siXty-one without any neces-
sitv.
Later on in this session it 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-"