Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-01-12

law, upwards of two millions of acres of
the best lands Of Oregon and California
and refuses to sell them at any price. I
never expected and could not, under the
terms of the law, as I construed 1t, get
more than seven quarter sections for
myself and family, one for my private
secretary, and one for Mr.. Lee, making
nine in all.
This IN the aggregate would mean
that 1 would obtain through my activ-
ity here, as the presidents charge is,
nine quarter sections, or /, 40 acres at a
cost of $4,000. VIII the president under
take to say that have lost my right
to buy land because am a senator?
Can the president deny that my &C
tivity secured the passage of the reso-
luton instructing the attorney general to
bring suit for the recovery of this land
for the use of actual settlers?
"If Hartman and others like him are
made to disgorge by reason of these
SUITS shall the fact that was endeavor-
ing to buy a little pittance of the land
be used as the basis Of charge OF be-
ing liar and a corrupt senator to be
disgraced?
Tells of Land Deal -9
Senator Tillman then told how his at
tention had been brought to this land
while at Spokane, Wash, in October,
1907 He wrote to Reeder & Watkins.
asking for information and telling them
of his desire to purchase some of the
land, If possible. Desiring to find out
If the conditions of the grant to the
state of Oregon made II possible for
purchasers" and not actual settlers
to buy at $3.50 per acre, he wired to the
librarian of the senate for a copy of the
act He met Mr.. Lee at Moscow, Ida
no, and talked with him on the subject
arranging that he would go to Marshfleld
and investigate in person. He author
the lands were what they were repre-
scented TO be-
Lees authority, as my agent" he
sGid, never went beyond an examina-
ton of the land, and If the applica-
ton was filed, to see that 1 got good
timbered lands instead of rocks and
marshes"
Mr.. Tillman went into detail on ex-
planning his effort to learn the exact
status of the lands and got an opinion
from Senator Turner, of Washington.
After returning to Washington, D. c.,
in December, he let the matter DROP
believing 1t to be very doubtful prop
osition," until Mr.. Lee showed him a
letter from Reeder & Watkins, which Mr..
Tillrnan said had since been stolen from
the desk in his committee room, along
clared that the theft was probably some
of the secret service sleuths.
when Reeder g. watkins" he said
Indicated their desire that 1 should ex-
ert my influence in the senate, I wrote
the letter of February Is, of which the
president obtained a Photographic copy
In the meantime, and before that letter
was written, and after a conference with
the attorney general I introduced the
two resolutions of January 81, one call
ing on the attorney general for informa-
ton, and the other, which became a law
instrucing him to institute suits. My
official activity then is shown to have
taken form in the senate before 1 knew
anything about Reeder & Watkins atti-
tude- or expectations, and I was in no
way influenced by them.
Wanted Land Legally
ct was still anxious to obtain some OF
the land, If 1t could be done legally and
wrote Reeder & Watkins to that effect,
but my faith in them, and in the whole
scheme, died whei 1 received the cireu-
lars of Dorr, which came to me on Feb
ruary II and IS, from three different d.
rections, showing the Widespread circu-
lation of them.I
Mr. Lees report to him. he said, had
also led him to believe that Reeder &
Watkins were not ''of the calibre and
character to be employed in a matter
of such magnitude.
'Dorr, of whom I had never heard be-
fore" he said, was evidently pushing
his scheme of getting suckers to invest
and using my name, as I have indicated,
without authority, because 1 had not
paid any fees to him or written to him
or filed any applications. 1, therefore,
felt it incumbent on me to expose the
swindle in the senate, which 1 did on
February 10, and asked the postoffice
department to issue a fraud order.
pressed the passage of the joint resolu-
ton in the senate, and on April 80 1t be-
came a law. March is, I was taken i'll,
and on May 16, after a partial recuper-
alton, sailed for Europe, returning Oc-
tober n.
''SIeuths Start Dirty Work.
1.-THE presidents sleuths set to do the
dirty work of spying on a senator, when
that senator had exposed a fraud which
was being perpetrated on the public, re-
ported to him on July q. 1 had nothing
to do with the change in the law of
which the president complains in regard
to the secret service So the presidents
animus is not against me on the same
ground ~ for which he has attacked
Messrs. Tawney, Smith and others in the
house, but one of personal malice engen-
dered by hatred because OF my course IN
the senate during the last seven years.
at have not attempted to deceive any
body; 1 have not told any falsehoods; l.
have not broken any laws; have not
been guilty of any immoral conduct. L
had the right to purchase the land If
could but my judgment told me It was
unsafe as an investment would like
to get some of it yet, and if the attor-
ney general and his successors shall not
die of old age before anything is done, it
may be possible that may have the OPP
portunity to purchase some of these tim
| Der lands of which he made mention in
his report Through my action, attention
| has been ERECTED in compelling way to
the need of prompt action by the depart
nent of Justice Whether 1 ever get any
of the land or not, does not matter, IL
Hartman and others of that ilk are made
! to disgorge the large holdings which they
| have stolen and are attempting to hold.
Submits to Senate
THE president" said Mr.. Tillmau,
"italicises the words 'as well as myself,
as though it were unlawful. immoral or
improper for a senator to buy any land
or to act IN this chamber on any ques-
ton affecting his personal interest fail
to see any sense or reason in this posi-
ton, but 1 must submit that to the judg-