The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-01-11
For the First Time in His Senatorial
Career TiIlman Confines Him
self Entirely to His
Manuscript.
DENIES THE PREsIDv y
Charges Him With Per 3 Malice,
Falsification, Gov. and
Hitting 3 he
Belt"

WASHINGTON, Jan. 1.-THE un-
precedented spectacle of a senator of
the United States defending Lis honor
against an attack by a president was
presented here today. Senator Till
man denied President Roosevelt's
charge that used his official posi-
tion for private benefit and that he
made false statements to his fellow
members regarding western land
transactions. He accused the presi-
dent with personal malice, Justification
and cowardjce, hitting below the
belt,' contempt of the senate and
violation of the law in the use of the
secret service. He also arraigned the
president for permitting the so-called
Steel Trust to absorb the Tennessee
Coal and Iron company for helping
his dear friend Hartman to hold two
million of public domain becc use Ben
T'illman wanted to buy LAO acres"
He admitted he was perhaps dis
ingenious in his statement to the
senate in declaring he had not bought
or undertaken to buy any land in
question not pay any money nor had
taken anyone's receipts. the usual
process one undertakes to buy land
For the first time In his senatorial
career Tillman read his entire speech.
He said: '.FSe President prepared
his indictment with consumate abil-
ity. He is even cunning in the appar-
emily innocent pretense that In making
search through the secret service
for one kind of malefactor he had
run down another. The case was one
of so much Importance his sense of of
ficial obligation compelled him to
prompt action. He has been in pos
session of all the facts in this case
since last July. 1t would be curious
to know why if the zeal was honest
he didn't make it known then"
Tillman quoted from special mes
sage of the secret service which de-
clared if he had proof of corruption
of any member of the house he would
take prompt action of the courts
against such members. Tillman con-
tinued:
1T therefore follows he found no
grounds for indicting me in the courts
which no doubt would have rejoiced
! him. All this fuss and fury about the
seriousness OF the case and gravity
of offense with which he charges me
can be attributed to personal malice
alone
He said: Il was unaware that the
arts of mine had quivered the exec
! utive hide and stung him SO, but the
eagerness and intensity with which he
presented his case against me, his
making precedent where none ex-
listed heretofore indicates that Roose-
welt enjoys getting even with Ben Till.
man.
After admitting the authenticity of
letters and kilograms attached to the
exhibit of the Presidents letter Till
man entered into a lengthy discussion
of the transaction regarding the Ore
gon land, his denunciation of Bryan
and Dorr on the floor of the senate for
stating in a circular to prospective
I! clients that he had subscribed and
/! paid the necessary fees for a quarter
| sectio for himself and ten other quar-
! ter .ctions for ten other near rela
! tives."
! Tillman declared when the Presi-
dent charged him with making a wan
! ton assault upon Dorr Gc- >rding to the
! report of the inspector that tae Presi-
dent falsified because the report of the
! inspector stated no such thing He
said: II was perhaps disingen.ous, but
a moments thought will convince any
honest minded man that had not sign
ed any papers, hadn't paid any money.
4 hadn't taken anyone's receipt to buy
land. ! was speaking accurately, not
/ falsely. Everything hinges upon the
word undertake and my use of it.
/ Did mean to conceal the facts | was
! anxious to buy some land? Not at
| all"
Tillman then went into defense OF
i his position explaining himself in at.
/ tempting to show his dealings were
honest and nothing concealed. He
| charges Roosevelt with personal NAL
ice as result of his course in the
senate.
|