The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1909-01-12

! Ing IN StflklQS IdSHlOu IuO me6J IL
/ which Investigations begun by any
OF these various agents in the strict
line Of their duty may develop facts
of high Importance, which the In
vestigators would not In the firs'
| instance have sought do discover,
which, when discovered, ought not
to be hidden or suppressed, but the
development of which may tend tc
create an erroneous impression that
the agents in question were being
used for purposes not within the line
of their lawful duty.
The communication then recites
that Senator Tillman on February
he, last, called the attention of the
Senate to the circular of the Oregon
Hand syndicate, which alleged tha'
Senator Tillman was among those
who had spoken for part OF tue
LAND to be disposed of and quotes
Senator Tillman's deal as follows:
81 have not bought any land any,
where in the West, nor undertaken
to buy any. I have made some in
duiries as one naturally would, in
roaming through the West. l simp-
lily want. the people of the country to
be put on notice that this swindler
at Portland has no warrant wbatev-
er for endeavcring to inveigle Others
into his game.
Enclosed, the President says, Mr.
Hale would find Photographic FAC
SMILES of letters and envelopes from
Senator Tillman and his agent, Mn.
E. Lee, bearing on the matter. \
letter of Senator Tillman to Oregon
attorneys is quoted as follows:
81 wired from Wausau, Wis, as
follows, and write to confirm it:
.William E. Lee. my agent, will
see YOU about land. I want nine
quarters reserved. Will forward
signed applications and money at
once. Members of my family are
entrymen. Letter follows.
("Signed) b. K. /.
81 write now to say that | wired
Mr.. Lee, who resides at Moscow,
Idaho, to go at once to Marshfield
and see you about the land, to locate
quarters for the seven members OF
my family, who are of age and one
for my private secretary, J. b
knight, whom I desire to let into
the deal, and, of course, he wants
quarter for himself"
"a Good Gamble"
"The letter continued" writes the
President, Sin stating in detail what
was to be done in order to enable the
Senator to get the land. The Will
liam z. Lee, to whom Senator Till
man thus referred as his agent, wrote
to Reeder and Watkins. under date
of December Z, a letter, photograph,
ic copy OF which is herewith submit
ted, marked Exhibit D A. In this
letter Mr.. Lee explains that he hac
written Senator Tillman fully as TO
the status of the land matter, ad-
vising him it was a good gamble,
but that the Senator was lecturing,
so that he did not get Mr.. Lees let
ter until week and half previous
ly. The letter continues:
".In case Senator Tillman gets
in on this deal with some good land
in the eight quarters we want, l
am satisfied that he can be of great
help in getting matters started from
Washington and cause the Govern
ment to get busy and do something
along the line you desire. He will
set up such howl that it will be i'm
possible to do otherwise. 1t will be
very important for your whole
scheme to have man Of his infiu-
ence here to aid you at this end OF
the line. By all means save lot
of good land for us, as we intend 20
be of more value than any one OF
the others in this matter. "
Then is quoted Senator Tillman's
resolutions providing for the insti-
tuition of the land suits, after which
the President quotes from the Sena-
tors letter of February 15 to Messrs
Reeder and Watkins. Says the Pres
| ident:
"He states that what he has done
in stirring up the question OF the
Oregon land grant to railroads has
been done entirely apart from any
personal interest he has in the mat
ter, and adds: Although 1 neve"
would have had my attention called
to it but for the investigation as set
| on foot in connection with the pro-
| posed purchase by me of some of the
timber land in Qestion. OF course
| if I decide to make the tender and
go into the lawsuit, l will bear your
proposition in mind, but would
have you understand that nothing |
do here in the Senate will be done
because of my personal purchase OF
any of the land.
Wanted Eight Sections.
eff I can succeed in causing the
Government to institute suit for the
recovery Ct the land and make it
easier for others as well as myself
(the italics are mine) to obtain soms'
| 80 n without regard