Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1909-01-13
AFTER
| SENATOR TILLMAN
probes Oregon Land Case and
Senator Replies to
Charges

4 WASHINGTON. Jan. 13.-Attor-
lev General Bonaparte issued state
nent last night replying in part of
he speech of Senator Tillman deliv-
ered in which he declared that the
. resolution in regard to the Oregon
and grants introduced by him in the
,enate January 81, 1908, had been
prepared by the attorney general and
hat his interest in the matter had
irst been aroused by a desire to pur-
.hase some timber land"
Mr.. Bonaparte also replied to Sem
itor Tillmans remark in the senate
asst February that he had not
bought any land in the west or un-
lertaken to buy any"
The attorney general says: There
lre two passages in the remarks of
Ienator Tillman in today's Congress-
bnal Record which demand notice
rom me. He says: 1T might be well
b inquire whether or not the attor-
9ey general has been ordered not to
pbey the law of congress passed last
April-which l will call the Tillman-
BOnaparte law-ordering suit to be
Instituted for the recovery of the
hnds. And again: The man who
announced to congress that he, Theo-
lore Roosevelt, assumed the right to
PERMIT the steel trust to absorb its
Featest rival contrary to law, would
lOubtless not hesitate to help his dear
fiend Hartman in holding 2,00O,-
goo acres of the public domain sim
ly because Ben Tlllman contemplat-
y and wanted to buy 1400 acres
Suit Based on Resolution.
"on September A. 1903, suit was
trought by the United States in the
drcuit court of the United States for
Pc district of Oregon against the Ore
lOn & California Railroad company,
ne Southern Pacific company, the
United Trust company, individually
lnd as trustees, Stephen Gage, indi-
nduaiy and as trustee, and a large
lumber of individual defendants. 1t
sas brought in accordance with in.
ruetions of the joint resolution to
'hich Senator Tillman refers.
Senator Tillman says, in another
art Of his speech: In my converse
aOn with the attorney general in re-
ara to the resolution / introduced
ad which he proposed after we had
alked over the whole question, 1
usunctly remember telling him that
y interest in the matter had been
reused by my desire to purchase
one timber land, and that my COM
g TO him was due to the fact that /
q decided on investigation that Il
uulo not buy through any agency
sAatever.'
MY Tillman called upon me at the
~pattment of justice a few days be-
y the Introduction by him or the
a0iution he presented to the senate
-aaary 81. He told me he wished
AhoW the status of the land en-
aCed in these Oregon grants, be-
-use ne had heard much complaint
.ae corporations claiming them
-.lhs his recent journey through the
sues Of the Pacific slope.
Didn't State Personal Interest.
ne said that the lands had become
sFeat value and many persons
leo 70 purchase them. and he adj
snA' ne would have been glad to
= himself If he could, but he new
wa me word Of any connection
= part with an arrangement TO
-ie some part Of these lands. As
" him. his reason for making
inquiries was that he might bet
s'enarge his public duties.
save him a fun statement OF the
1@uon that had been collected
- department. as the result Of an
sa0on made by Messrs. Town
~. ana hcBlair. as special counsel.
aim that we deemed il a2visi-
secure congressional action in
Continued an P7@7