The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1909-01-11
T|L[MAN REPLIES
TO PRESIDENTS
LAST EXPOSURE
Lame Defense of the Purity
Howler to the Evidence of
Record
TRIED TO BUY LANDS TITLE TO
WHICH WAS BEFORE CONGRESS
Made False Statement on Floor of
Senate While Trying to Secure the
Passage of Resolution Restoring the
Land to the Government.

faSSage OF Resolution restoring the
Land to the Government.
Washington, Jan. lit was evil
dent from the time that the public
doors Of the capitol were opened to-
day that Senator Tillman's reply to
the presidents charges against him
In connection with an Oregon land
grant would receive the attention of
an audience commensurate with the
capacity of the senate chamber. The
fact that the South Carolina senator
would make reply to the allegations
of the chief executive had been widely
and persistenay advertised and long
before the doors leading to the senate
chamber had swung open for the day
the corridors leading to them were
thronged by people embracing both
sexes and all colors.
When the senator rose to speak
there was not a vacant seat in the
galleries. The senate floor was also
we'll occupied, not only by the SEN
ators themselves but by members of
the house of representatives and by
the employees of the senate and others
entitled to the floor 1t was generally
understood that Senator Tillman
would attempt to justify his course
and the disposition of audience both
on the floor and in the galleries was
to await his explanation before pass
ing final judgment.
Tillman said that in his seven years
in the senate he had not hesitated to
criticize the President and had given
him cause to seek revenge. He said
personal revenge actuated Roosevelt
in making the charges against him.
He admitted that his. letter of Febru-
ary Is, which the president quoted,
antedated his statement in the senate
by four days that he had not bought
land nor undertaken to buy land He
| said, however, that he did not say he
had not contemplated the purchase of
land because he had done so. He
stated that in his conversation with
the attorney general regarding the
resolution he introduced in the SEN
ate, and which the attorney general
prepared, he told that official that his
interest in the matter had been
aroused by a desire to buy those
lands and that he had discovered he
could not buy them through any
agency whatsoever nor by means of
lawsuit, as no one would have any
standing in court except the govern
ment. His activity in the senate re-
garding the matter was for the pur-
pose of making it possible for any
citizen to be able to buy those by the
payment of the acreage price in a
legal manner.
Il have not attempted to deceive
anybody" he continued. 81 have not
told any falsehoods. have not been
guilty of any immoral conduct: l have
not broken any law. had the right
to buy land if could. but my judg-
ment told me it would be unsafe as
an investment ] would like to get
some of it vet anil if the attorney
general and his successors shall not
die of old age before anything is done,
1t may be possible. | may have the
opportunity to purchase some of these
timber lands of which he made men,
tion in this report"
He concluded by demanding the
fullest investigation and said that
President Roosevelt. who assumed
the right to permit the steel trust to
absorb its greatest rival contrary to
law. would doubtless not hesitate to
help his dear friend Hartman in
holding two million acres of public
domain because Ben Tillman con-
templated and wanted to buy LAO
acres.
The Presidents Charge.
TIE message which carried the evil
dence of Senator Ti!lmans perfidy,
follows:
The White House. Washington,
Jan. 5. 1909.
MY Dear Senator Hale:
Il have requested the different de-
partments of the government. not
only those to whom you sent re-
quests. but to those to whom you did
not. to give ME all the information
about the use of the special attorneys,
special agents. inspectors. etc. in
their departments which will enable
me to put before you. all the facts.
which. as ! understand it. your COM
mittee desire to have. | transmit
these reports herewith. call es-
special attention to the reports of the
secretary of state. the secretary of
the treasury. and the attorney gen.
eral.
Let me at the outset most earnest
ly express my cordial agreement with
the view that it is not only the right
cut the duty of congress to investi-
gate the workings of the secret SER
vice or detective agents by which the
government can effectually safeguard
itself against wrong doing. punish
crime and bring to Justice criminals.
am we'll aware of the liability of
abuse inherent in any effective de-