Los Angeles herald., 1909-01-11

M ASHINGTON, Jan. 10.-No sub
wv ject has been discussed at the
capitol as President Roosevelt S
disclosure of Senator Tillman' s
connection with a federal land deal,
hut the colleagues of the South Caro-
linian are inclined to withhold judg-
ment until he has had an opportunity
to explain.
Many expressions of dissatisfaction
are heard because of the manner III
which the president made public the
material gathered by the postoffice in
spectors about Senator Tillman.
1t is 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 department
for a statement of the operations of
the secret service, as the investigation
OF Senator Tillman's alleged efforts to
obtain Oregon lands was wholly under
the poStoff1ce department and was
prosecuted by the inspectors of that
department.
One senate leader expressed the opin-
ion that as the president has had for
several months the stuff gathered
about Senator Tillman it was his duty
to inaugurate an investigation if he be-
lieved the facts warranted action.
1t was rumored today that the presi-
dent has told a friend that an effort
was made by Senators Hale and Aid
rich to suppress the facts about Sena-
tor Tillman.
Undoubtedly this impression was
gained at the White House by a visit
by Mr.. Hale, who suggested that the
matter relating to Mr.. Tillman should
be withdrawn
TiIIman in Poor Health
It is said the senator from Maine
did not base the request on the ground
that it was not properly a reply to the
demand for information about the Sc
cret service, but because of the fact
that Senator Tillman is in poor health
and the charge was liable to rouse him
to pitch of excitement dangerous to
his life
President Roosevelt declined to with
draw the reference to Mr.. TiIlman and
when Senator Hale would not make it
public he decided to do so himself.
There is no question that Senator
Tillman's health is serious
When he went to Europe last March
he was in highly nervous state. The
trip resulted in a marked improve
ment, but his friends have noticed that
his nervousness was returning.
Some Of the senators who have ex-
amined the evidence say the offense
was enc of improperly and indiscre-
ton, but that no criminality is in
VOlved.
It was said that Mr.. TilIman might
have introduced his resolution, calling
upon the department of justice to be-
gin proceedings to compel the sale of
the Oregon lands at $3.50 an acre, in
accordance with the original land
grant and at the same time apply for
some of the land without making him
self a target for criticism.
To many the features of the dis
closure most deplored by Tillman's coll
leagues is the appearance of an effort
to hide the fact that he was an appli-
cant for the nine quarter sections I'M
der 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 presi-
cent shows that prior to this statement
Mr.. Tillman had made application for
nine quarter sections
Defending himself against the ap-
pearance of having made a misleading
statement, Senator Tillman told his
friends today that he should have said
on the floor that he has not "con-
tracted" to buy any land, and that
the whole case against him had been
built upon the Interpretation placed
upon the word undertaken"