The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-01-11
klay the President Heard Him
Read a Mild Speech.
HE MAKES A PROMISE
That at Some Future Date He
Will Use PitchfOrk.
Was Given Close Attention by
the Members Present.

Washington, Jan. 11-Declaring
that the president has been actuated
by motives of malice and revenge in
attacking his course in connection
with the Coos Bay. oregon land grant.
Senator Tillman of South Carolina.
from his seat in the senate today
made reply to the accusations of the
chief executive. His speech was read
from manuscript and was a character
istic mixture of argument and invec-
tive. Mr.. Tillman rose TO a question
of personal privilege Immediately af-
ter the conclusion of the morning
prayer, and as his intention had been
widely advertised, he was greeted by
an audience which filled every seat in
the galleries. From the first the SEN
ator received most careful attention.
There was such pressure for seats
on the part of senators families that
the private senatorial gallery was
appropriated as early as IL o'clock
and the doors had no sooner swung
outward than the crowd poured in
There were however, so many in the
corridors that the withdrawal of the
few who found seats made very little
difference in the appearance of the
outside crowd. The public galleries
were also opened al an early hour and
were promptly filled. The card gal
leries usually remain closed until
L
great that they were opened an hour
earlier today and by the time ingress
became possible the throng became
so strong that women screamed and
| many of them had their wraps torn
| from them. Probably not one-fifth in
the corridors found access to the gall
leries.
Senator TilIman's health is such
that he concluded not to attempt any
unusually severe language in his reply
to the president. He said, however,
preceding his speech, that his friends
who were counting upon the denuncia-
| ton of the chief executive would have
no occasion to complain if they would
| be patient, for he expects to find other
opportunities before the close Of the
| session to- pay his respects to the pres
ident, when he promises not to disap-
point them.
A man who gave his name an c. r.
L. CrOut of this city. caught in the
| crush of the senate galleries, was in
jured about the head and tainted. The
| appearance of Senator Tillman in the
| senate chamber three minutes before
| IL O'Clock, before the vice president
! had taken his seat gave the galleries
an unusual opportunity of hand clap
| ping, without being called to order
and round of applause was given the
| South Carolinan as he entered and
| proceeded to his seat.
| The attendance of senators was not
| unusually large.
The reading of the journal had
| hardly been ordered when Senator
| Culberson of Texas, asked unanimous
consent that that procedure. be dis
| pensed with and Senator Tillman
arose and began his speech. In de-
| liberate tones he proceed to excuse
| himself for the unusual procedure of
reading his speech on the ground that
| ne was replying to the president in an
unusual attack upon the senator.
The metallic and piercing voice of
| the South Carolina senator was kept
within control, as he proceeded. The
galleries indulged in no outbreak. al
| though there was occasional sup
pressed laughter when Mr.. Tillman
declared the president had placed him
in the Ananias club.
| On the part of the members MI.
| Tillman was given the closest atten-
ton. After he began speaking almost
| every senator's seat was occupied and
| the rear of the chamber was filled
/ with members of the house. A peal
| of laughter was called forth when Mr..
| Tillman declared he had not known
| that the executives hide" had been
| so greatly stung by the darts he had
sent at him at various time when he
| had criticized him in the senate. When
| he suggested that doubtless the presi-
| dent believed that the "pitchforkr had
gone out of business another roar OF
| laughter was called forth and the vice
| president admonished the galleries
| that applause of any kind was not per-
| mitted in the senate and that If per-
| sisted in would necessitate the clear
/ ing of all galleries.
| The section reserved for the dipIo-
| matte corps was held for members Of
| the corps until IL O'Clock, at which
| time others were permitted to occupy
| seats there.
| Postmaster General Myer occupied
/ a seat in the diplomatic gallery and
| was an attentive listener.
| Mr.. Tillman kept close to his manu-
| script as he proceeded except when
| he referred to Mr.. Hartman as tine
| presidents dear friend" who held
| 25OOO.000 acres of the land in ques-
| ton he looked over his eyeglass and
i glancing around the chamber. added;
| Possibly the relations are not 50
| intimate now, but speak OF wnat the
| relation used to be-
| Referring to his efforts to purchase
some of the Oregon timber land, Mr.
Tillman again departed from his print
ed speech by adding:
| 'eWho would not have wanted to pur-
chase some of that land if he was as
poor 7 amp
| He went on to describe the timber
land as containing the finest red cedar
/ in the world
| LAYING down his manuscript after
having consumed just So minutes IN
Ireading it, Mr.. Tillman was congratula-
ted by many of his friends on the floor
while the vice president proceeded 70
i lay before the senate the routine busi-
ness that usually precedes all other
matters that come before that body.
| There was no applause in the gal
lIeries. but the buzz of conversation in
| the large audience was such as to drown
| the voice of the reading clerk. Mr.. Kean
cess to allow the audience to retire. The
lmotion prevailed and after many of the
lsnectators had retired the senate again
Iproceeded with it's routine.