Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-01-11

Senator IIlIWuu then Told nov nlh
attention had been brought 40 this land
while at Spokane. wash. in october,
1907 TIa wrote to Rccdcr and Watkins
asking Tor Information and telling them
of Dis desiro tn purchase some on the
land m possible. Desiring TO md out n
the conditions OF tho land grant 60 the
state OF oregon made 10 possible for
purchasers and not actual settlers
to buy at $3.50 per acre. no wired 10 the
librarian of The senate Tor n copy Of the
act Ho met Mr. Ice at MOSCOW, Ida,
and talked with him on the subject, ar
ranging that hc would 20 TO Marehncid
and Investigate On person. he author
lied Lee to draw on him 40 no found
tho lands we're what they we're repre-
scnted to De-
Ices authority as my agent never
went beyond an examination % the
land, and % the application was filed,
Zoo see that 7 got good timber land In
stead OF rocks and marshes said the
senator Tie went into detail IN cx-
planning his effort TO learn the exact
status OF the lands and got an opinion
from Senator Turner Of Washington.
After returning Go Washington, ID, c.,
iu December. De let tho matter drop,
believing 10 10 be a very doubtful
proposition" until Mr. Lee showed him
"a letter from Roeder and Watkins,
which Afr. Tulman said had been sto-
len from tho desk ia his committee
room along with other papers IN this
case, and declared the theft was prob
ably by some OF the secret service
slouths.
when Recdcr and watkins" he said.
Indicated their desire that I should
exert my influence in the senate, !
wrote the letter OF Feb 10 OF which
tho president obtained a Photographic
COPY IN the meantime, and before
that letter was written, on my own in
Nitaton, ana after conference with the
attorney general introduced the two
resolutions Of Jan. 81, one calling on
the attoruey-gcneru for Information
and the other which became law, in
structing him 90 institute suits. My
official activity then Is shown 10 have
taken form In the senate before I knew
anything about Rccdcr and Watkins
attitude or expectation and / was in no
way influenced by them.
~ was still anxious TO obtain some
OF the land " 10 could be done legally
and wrote Beeder and Watkins 10 that
effect. but my faith in them. and IN the
whole scheme. died when I received
the circulars Of Dorr which came to
mo on Feb. n and ~. from three diff
ferent directions, showing the wide
spread circulation Of them"
Mr. Lees report 10 him. he said. had
also led him 10 believe that Rcodor and
Watkins were not "of the calibcr and
character 10 be employed in a matter
of such magnitude.
"Dorr, of whom I had never heard
before" he said, was evidently push
ing his scheme OF getting suckers 70
invest and using my name as / have
indicated. without authority; because
/ had not paid any fees 10 him OF
written 20 him or filed any applica-
tions. I therefore. felt Il Incumbent
on me to expose the swindle in the sem
ate which ! did on February 10 and
asked the postofiice to issue a fraud
order. / pressed the passage OF the
joint resolution IN the senate and on
April 30 IL became law. March is /
was taken IN and on May l6 after a
partial rccuperatiOn, / sailed for Eu-
rope, returning oct. q.
SPYING on A SENATOR.
"The presidents slouths set to do the
dirty work OF spying on a senator
when that senator had exposed a
fraud which was being perpetrated
on the people, reported TO him on
July "a i had nothing TO do with the
change in the law OF which the presi-
dent complains In regard to tho secret
service. So the presidents animus IS
not against me on the some ground for
which he has attacked Messrs. Tawney
Smith and others in the house, but one |
Of personal malice engcndered by |
hatred because OF my course IN the
senate during the last seven years.
Il have not attempted TO deceive |
anybody. / have not told any false |
hoods / have not broken any laws. / |
have not been guilty or any immoral |
conduct had the right to purchase |
The land II ] could, but my Judgment |
told me IL was unsafe as an Invest /
lncnt i would like to get some OF II |
vet and II the attorney general and his /
successor shall not die OF old age be-
fore anything h done, II may be pos
silbo that / may have the opportunity |
to purchase some Of these timber lands l
which he made mention In his report. /
Through my action attention has been |
directed In compelling way TO the
need Of prompt action BY tho depart
ment OF justice. Whether / ever get |
any OF the land or not does not matter |
N Hartman and others OF that ilk are /
made 20 disROrge the large holdings
which they have stolen and arc at
10 hold.
"Tho president italicized the words
'as well as myself as though Il were |
unlawful, Immoral or improper for a
senator TO buy any land or TO act In |
hat chamber on any question affecting
his personal Interest 1 fan 20 see any |
sense or reason in this position, but / |
must submit TO the Judgment OF tho |
senate and the country. / had not be- l
come "a party 70 any litigation; / was
not Interested except as a private in /
iividual wanting 90 purchase and as /
senator desiring TO enable others to |
have the opportunity 10 do 80. az /
course. the president IS sure that I /
have done something very discredit- I
able ana outrageous. He hates me /
and would destroy me II he could
"rho president gloats over the fact /
That my letter was written Just four /
lays before he announced In the senate
hat he Cd had not undertaken 10 buy /
any land in the west as clinchlng his /
contention that 4 have He'd 20 the SEM /
ate The records show that IN the in /
.ertm the Dorr circular had been sent 1
.O me. for on Feb. 10. when ] made the /
exposure of Dorr. 1 said in the senate, /
In the last day or two I have had my /
attention called 90 "a scheme OF sWidnl- /
ing etc. 10 is easy for those who are /
themselves vulnerable 10 convict on /
Ibis nlmsy evidence and the president /
seems 90 work on that theory.
'Ou reading DORIS circular the whole /
scheme and combination Of sNindlers, /
lccdcr and Watkins ln Marshheld and /
lorr lu Portland IN did not know any /
hing about Come and SchaferJ flashed /
poo my mind and remembering Lees /
.omcNhat dubious report as 20 tho |
.hamctcr and qualification 81 the /
irm of Reedcr a Watkins. ] decided /
it once 90 see to DO that my name
.H,rtTH moi Ia used fn IuUIDr1n nfnara