New-York tribune., 1909-01-16
LETTERS TO THEEDITOR
TILLMAN'S LETTERS
Made Legal Contract for Land
Says Real Estate Broker.
To the Editor OF The Tribune.

To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: As matter OF fact. does II not a,n...
from his own statements in letters and spescb,,
that Senator Tillman not only "undertook -.
actually contracted to buy the eight quar,sr a..
tons Of land in question? The writer in no,
lawyer: he IS nothing but a common evsrva,
real estate broker and dealer; but being a h,.s
ness man. it seems to him that the indtzna., =,
Senator contracted" to buy this land
1t appears that Senator Tirnan by Telegram. a..
letter offered in writing, TO purchase eight s,.
ter sections of land at stipulated price ana !.
certain expressed conditions and to pay in asa,,,o
thereto the 81 fee for each quarter section ana ),
procure certain legislation from the Congress. =,
the United States At the time he requeSs.s
that Reeder & Watkins. the other or secons
party to the agreement or contract hold in -
serve eight Of the best quarter sections OF wb.sA
you have definite information. and I will In IN.
mean time press the investigation and other wors
here which will facilitate the final purchase and N
effect obviate the necessity Of your making an
case in the courts at all"
II the other party to the agreement or uud.-.
standing did reserve requested In couuia,..
with the conditions named IN Senator Trln,n,,
offer. expecting to draw the Senator throuzs
Mr.. Lee for the fee Of 81 for each quarter Sc.
ton and to receive the full purchase price for IN.
land go soon as the Senator had procured TIE urO.
posed legislation, then Senator Tfllman was scru.
ally under contract to buy. An offer is not a eo,
tract and binds no unless accepted be,o,
revocation; but If accepted upon the conditions
named before being revoked. the offer Is changed IN
character 1t IS not an offer any longer. but d.
comes an irrevocabe agreement, which cannot y.
abrogated or changed by either party without IA,
consent OF the other.
1t appears, therefore. that Senator TflInan "a.
only undertook" but actually 'contracted- n
buy eight quarter sections Of this land. and al
not get scared out Of the deal until as he saws z
received the circulars OF Dorr. which came TO \.
February II and IS from three different direction
showing the widespread circulation Of them
Mr.. Dorr evidently understood from informaroa
probably obtained from Reeder & Watkins. tha.
there was a contract to buy between Senator III.
the strength Of that contract and the lsgislanoa
take some Of the land his own account, and
Immediately issued the above mentioned crculars
and sent them out induce others to buy tns
same price and upon the terms as those zcca
which Senator Tfllman had agreed to buy. szcsps
that Senator TiIlman alone could have TO DO WITH
procuring the desired legislation
II therefore, Senator Tiliman in his statemenu
to the Senate had used the word contracted n.
stead of undertaken" as he now claims. after
discovery that he should have done. would he
then have told the truth? Senator Tlman. being
a lawyer by profession must know that the max
ing OF an offer by party and its aeeeptancs b.
the other before the offer IS revoked withdrawn,
constitutes a contract that can be enforced in ths
civil courts provided it is legitimate transao.
ton. not in violation OF law NJ HILL
New York, Jan IA. 1868.