Los Angeles herald., 1909-01-09

possession of the lands was bound tC
sell them for $3.50 an acre or upon their
refusal would be prosecuted by the
government and that among those who
have spoken for a part of the land is
Senator Tillman Of South Carolina, the
leader of the Democratic party in the
senate, a man who usually gets what he
goes after
Invited Investigation
Senator Tillman denied the state
mentS of this circular and expressed 9
wish for an investigation, and upon his
request the postoffice department
through its inspectors, made such ar
investigation. He stated in reference
to this circular:
L have not bought any land any
where in the west, nor undertaken tt
buy any. [ have made some inquiries
as one naturally would in roaming
through the west. I simply want the
people of the country to be put or
notice that this sWindler at Portland
has no warrant whatever for endeavor.
ing to inveigle others into his game
Il inclose the circular referred to az
exhibit B; the report of the postof1ict
inspectors under date of July q, 1908
as exhibit G. I inclose you also photo
grahpic facsimiles Of letters and en-
velopes and kilograms from Senator
Tillman and his agent, William E. Lee
1t appears that on October 10, 1907
Senator Tillman wrote a letter lex
hibit 81 to Messrs. Reeder and Watts
kins of Marshfeld, Ore, who were at
torneys representing people who were
applicants for the purpose of gaining
certain wagon road land grants. Dor
was a land agent making his filing!
through Reeder and Watskins. Sena
tor Tillman's letter runs in part az
follows:
'I wired you from WaUsau, Wis, as
follows, and write to confirm it:
Asks for "Nine Quarters"
civilian A. Lee, my agent, will SCI
you about the land. l want nine quar-
tiers reserved. Will forward signed
applications and money at once. Mem
bers of my family are entrymen. Let
ter follows. B. R. T.
"I write now to say I wired Mr.
Lee, who resides at Moscow, Idaho, t.
go at once to Marshfeld and see yoJ
about the land to locate quarters fol
the seven members of my family, who
are of age, and one for my private
secretary, J. 3. Knight, whom I de
sire to let into the deal and, of course
he wants a quarter for himself
'The letter continued, stating in de-
tail what was to be done in order tt
enable the senator to get the land. The
Mr.. Lee to whom Senator Tillman thus
referred as his agent, wrote to Reede1
& Watskins under date of December Z
letter, a photograph of which is here
with submitted, marked Exhibit D. 4.
In this letter Mr.. Lee explains tina
he had written Senator Tillman full!
as to the status of the land matter, ad
Vising him that it was a good gam
ble, but that the senator was lectur
ing, so that he did not get Lees let
ter until a week and a half later Tht
letter continues:
" In case Senator Tillman goes in OF
this deal with some good land in The
eight quarters we want [ am satisfied
that he can be of great help in gettins
matters started from Washington anC
cause the government to get busy anC
do something along the lines you de-
sire. He will set up such a howl tha
1T will be impossible to do otherwise
This will be very important for youl
whole scheme to have a man of his in
fluence here to aid you at this end Of
the line. BY all means save a lot OF
good land for us, as we intend to be OF
more value than any one of the others
in this matter
"On the 31st of January 1908, Sen
the following resolutions:
TiIIman's Resolution
Whereas, at divers times various
railroads and other corporations have
received large grants of public lands
of the United States under and by vir-
tue of acts of the congress- containing
conditions to the effect that such lands
should be sold to actual settlers only
or in quantities not exceeding for any
one purchaser a limit fixed by the act
relating thereto or at a price per acre
not greater than an amount mentioned
in the act authorizing such grant, to
the end that such lands might prompt
ly become the homes of the citizens OF
the United States; and now, therefore
be it
" Resolved, etc, that the president
be requested if not incompatible with
the public interest to inform the SEN
ate what information, if any, has beer
received, and what action, if any, has
been taken by the department of justice
with respect to the matters and things
in the preamble to the resolution set
forth and pressed vigorously for i'm
mediate action.
"The resolution being laid over, Sena-
tor Tillman introduced the same day a
further and joint resolution containing
the same recitaIs but concluding as
follows:
Resolved, etc, that the attorney
general be, and is hereby directed
authorized and empowered to take such
proceedings or institute such suit OF
suits on behalf Of the United States as
may be necessary, appropriate or ex-
pedient, to insure a compliance with
the above mentioned conditions, or tC
restore the said lands to the public do
main, or to report to the congress why
such action as aforesaid has not been
or should not be taken
Photographs Letter
con February Is Senator Til1mar
wrote to Messrs. Reeder and Watskins
A photograph of his letter is attached
as exhibit DIS. In it I call your atten-
ton to the fact that he spoke again OF
Mr.. Lee as his agent and of the CORE
spondence carried on through Mr.. Lee
He states that what he has done in
stirring up the question of the Oregon
land grants to railroads has been done
entirely apart from any personal inter
est he has in the matter, and adds:
If l can succeed in causing the
government to institute for the re-
covery of the lands and make it easier
for OTHERS AS WELL AS MYSELF
(the capitals are mine) I shall do il
without regard to the dealings with
your firm.
"I still want to get some Of the
timber land il it is possible, and as il
is probable that Mr.. Lee or some othet
representative of mine will be in your
country in the next two months we will
leave the matter of payment for the
initiatory steps and subsequent pro-
ceedings in allegiance for the present
Any contract we might make will be
entire1v aDart from and independeDt pt