Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1909-01-13
: Mstssf.l' 4
TIllman,s Lana

d!; ally the following RESI- |btic lands
T'.''ld be Whereas. a. and by viz.
aug in railroads and ID contain.
ae . .sa ~, ia such lands
nm. mo Of ~. hal settlers only
;ns, ,ue Oh ac 6xceeding for one
eral de- .her,, '' txed by the act re.
cialized or in al AZ price per acre
'ury de. purcht an amol;ht mentioned
is es. IN. Nhorlzing such grant. to
counter. 49,. sUc!l lands might prompt.
18th cus. ,.Hhe homes Of citizens of the
depart. ates; and
is es. reas. it is currently reported
tied "a idely believed that the depart
rraudGof justice has information TO the
lec<ect that certain of the corporations
u aforesaid, or their alleged successors
Fin title, having obtained colorado title
TO large tracts of land within state
or states of the Pacific slope by vir-
tue OF the grants above mentioned, and
still hoit:ig considerable portions
thereof, have violated or evaded the
equitable and salutary conditions SO as
aforesaid imposed by the congress
uVoi NhSiUits ~ AtaC PuphS 6OOu
yet the senate is not advised that any
action has been taken by the depart
ment of Justice to enforce the said con-
ditions OF restore the said lands to the
public domain: Now. therefore, be 1t
Resolved, etc, That the president
be requested, IL not incompatible with
tine public interest, to inform the sen.
ate what information. if any. has been
received, and what action. II any, has
heen token by the department of jus.
tice with respect to the matters and
| things in the preamble to this resolu.
ton set forth, and pressed vigorously
for immediate action"
Introduced Joint Resolution.
The resolution being laid over, SEN
ctor 1illman introduced the same day
n father and joint resolution contain,
ing the same recitals, but concluding
as follows:
Resolved, ETC., That the attorney
general be, ard he is hereby directed,
authorized and empowered to take
such proceedings or institute such suit
| or suits on behalf of the United States
| as may be necessary, appropriate, or
expedient to insure q compliance with
the above mentioned conditions or to
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"
| On Feb. 10, Senator Tillman wrote
to Messrs. Roder and Watkins. A pho
tograph of this letter is also attached
! rs exhibit ID 8. In it call your atten-
tion TO the fact that he speaks again
of Mr.. Lee as his agent and of the cor
respondence carried on through Mr.
Lee. He states that what he has done
in stirring up the question of the Ore
gon land grants to railroads has been
done entirely apart from any personal
interest he has in the matter, ant
Odds:
Wanted Some Timber Land.
Although never would have had
my attention called to 1t but for the
| investigation as set on foot in connec.
ton with the proposed purchase by me
of some of the timber land in question
| OF course, II | decide to make the ten
der and go into the lawsuit, will bear
your proposition in mind, but l would
have you understand that nothing
do here in the senate will be done be.
cause Of any personal purchase of an,
OF the land. II can succeed in caus
ing the government to institute sui
for the recovery of the land, and make
1t easier for Others as well MS mysel:
1.-THE italics are nliue) to obtain some
of 1t, ] shall do i; without any regara
to the dealings with your film. s,i)
want to get some of the timber land Il
1t is possible, and as 1t is probaa,;
that Mr.. Lee or some other representa-
tive OF mine will be in your country II
the next two months we will leave tht
matter Of payment for the initiator,
steps and subsequent proceedings ir
allegiance for the present. Any contract
we might make will be entirely apar
from, and Independent Of, any worl
here in the senate. will be glad tol
you to hold in reserve eight of tlit
best quarter sections of which 20,
have definite information and l viii
in the meantime press the investiga
ton and other work here which vii
facilitate the final purchase, and in eff
feet obviate the necessity OF your max.
ing any case in the courts at ALL"
This letter in which Senator Tillmar
requested that eight of the best quar-
ter sections be held in reserve for hin
was written just four days before h;
announced in the senate that he hat
not undertaken to buy any land in .at
west.
Comment Unnecessary.
1t is unnecessary to comment upor
his proposal, made in this letter to ust
his influence as senator to force thu
government to institute suit which
would make it easy for him personally
to obtain some of the land. This let
ter, purely pertaining to Mr.. Tillman'i
personal and private business was sem
in franked envelope, Of which at
tach Photographic copy marked Eek
hibit D g." The assault by Senator
Tillman upon Mr.. Dorr was. according
to the report of the inspectors, a wan
VII uocaaAl AtthdC ~ SoNSl UP ocldIOl
Tillmau's own transactions.
call your attention to the letter Of
Mr.. Door to the postmaster genera
under date Of Nov. %. 1908. (Exhibi
~ in which he asks for relief from
the cases which Senator Tillman haC
brought against him, saying that he
had no knowledge that Senator Till
1t
hidden and secret from general public
knowledge The report of the inspect
ors seem to indicate that this young
man. Mr.. Door asked in good faith
but that he used Senator Tillman's ap.
plication for land as an advertisement
i Very truly yours,
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.