The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1909-01-14
TNIN|AN
'CDNFESSS|S
Admits the Accusation That
He Tried to Get Hold Of
Large Acreage Of Land.
BUT DOES NO WRONG
Abuses President for Expos
ing Him and Charges
Malice and Revenge.

WASHINGTON. d. g.. Jan. IL.
Long before the public doors of the.
capitol opened today. the corridors
leading to the Senate chamber were
thronged with people of both sexez,
anxious to hear Senator Tiilman re-
ply to the Presidents charges against
him in connection with the Oregon
land grant. The limited seating
capacity was insufficient to accom-
MEDIATE all. The Senate floor was al
SO well occupied.
Much interest was manifested In
Tillman's reply, as it was generally
understood ne would attempt to JUS
Hfy his course and the disposition Of
the audience was to await his ex-
PLANTATION before passing finaf jndg.
ment.
Declaring the President had been
actnated by the motive OF malice and.
revenge in attacking his course in
connection with the Coos Bay Ore
gan land grant Senator Ben Tillman
today made reply to the accusations
of the chief executive "a
The speech was read from manu-
script and contained characteristic
mixture OF argument and invectiye
There was no demonstration during
the deliverance of the speech or at
its close
Senator Tillman said in part.
In my public work here, I have
not hesitated to criticise and com
ment on the official actions and ut
terances OF President Roosevelt and
I have doubtless given him good
cause to seek revenge. have, at
various times, arraigned him in the
Senate for tyrannical invasion of the
rights of Congress, for usurpation OF
authority not given him by the Con
Istitution, for disobedience of the law
and the neglect Of; duty. / was not
aware that these darts of mine had
duiyered in the executive hide and
stung him so, but the eagerness and
intensity with which he has pre-.
sented his case against ME, indicate
that Theodore Roosevelt enjoys to
the limit the feeling of getting even
with Ben Tillman and lays on the
Big Stick with the keenest relish,
doubtless believing that the pitch
fork has gone out of business.
An examination of the Presidents
letter to- Mr.. Hale" said Mr.. TILL
man. will show that the Presidents
charges boiled down amount to two
in number.
First, he promotes ME to mem
bership in the Ananias Club. and
charges in effect that ] have delb
erately lied to the Senate.
Second, he charges that have
exerted my official influence and WORT:
as a Senator for my personal benefit
alone TO secure the passage ola reso-
luton and to press the Department
of Justice to bring suit against the
corporation which holds so much of
the public domain in the West, ana
will not sell 1t to settlers under the
terms of their grants from the gov
eminent.
Quoting from the Presidents mes
sage to the House on January A in
which he said he had no charges of
corruption against Congress nor
against any member OF, the present
House. Mr.. Tillman said:
ut follows that he found no
grounds for indicting me in the
conrts. which no doubt would have
rejoiced him over much and all this
fuss, fury and sfustian about the SER
idhsness Of the case and the grayil,.
lof,the offense with which he charges
me can be attributed to personal
malice alone" 4
Referring to the Presidents lei
ter TO Senator Hale. Mr.. Tillman de-
clared that the President recognized
the extraordinary character OF his
action as well as the unlawful use
he has made, Of the Secret Service
Mr.. Tillman said he did not deny the
authenticity of the letter or the tele. |
gram of which photographs were
made and he presumed the letter
from William 2: Lee was also cor
rect copy, hut he was not aware OF
Its existence until it was brought ia
his attention by the Presidents
statement. |
III will he noted that / accused
Dorr In the Senate of being a
swindler and asked the Postoflce
Department TO Issue a fraud orde.,
against him. Dorr declared in his
circular: so sure is Senator TIN
man of orr success that he has sub
scsfbed and paid the necessary fees
for a quarter sections -or himself aud
tcnsother quarter sections for ten of |
N. II