The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-04-02
GOTERNME WILL
SHOW Up PACKERS.
No Mercy to Be Shown Even
for Judge-by President
in Message.
Attorney General Will Make
Public the Facts Against
the Beef Trust.
1pecial to The Journal.

Chicago, April "A Washington dis
patch to- the Chicago Tribune says:
President Roosevelt and Attorney
General Moody Will fire this week the
last guns in connection with the prose
cution of the beef packers.
The president will send message to
congress calling attention to the gross
wrong which has been perpetrated
upon the people by the escape of these
men. from punishment and recommend
ing legislation to Marrow the Immunity
law TO the limits Of the constitutional
provision. s.
Attorney General Moody will Issue a
statement giving all the facts IN the
possession of the government M winch ne
convicting the packers had the cases
ever come to trial.
Dynamic Documents
The documents promise to be dynamic
In Character. They will spare no one
not even Judge Humphrey, who rem
dered the decision by which the govern
ment was estopped from taking this I'M
portant case to the supreme court Of the
United States.
It is proposed to show that the admin
istration entered upon the prosecution
in good faith, that the facts were col
lGCIGQ ny Tile QcEtaI III
even before the bureau of corporations
of the department of commerce and Ia
Dor began the investiga tion ordered by
congress, and that the latter did not fur
nish any information upon which pro-
ceedings were instituted; that the pack
ers never attempted to meet squarely
and fairly the charges filed against
them, but took advantage OF the I'M
munity provision of the interstate com
merce act and the law organizing the
bureau of corporations; that, altho At
torney-Genera1 Moody explained to
Judge Humphrey in; the course of his
address thatit was the duty Of. the
court to ceftify@thes cases to the supreme
court, he failed to do 50 and that IN
consequence che government has, no
means of appealing from his decision.
> No Appeal Possible.
It is with keen regret that the presi-
dent and attorney general have come to
the conclusion there is no way Of get
ting the case before the supreme court
This was the view taken Immediately
after the decision was rendered, but in
order that there might be 10 possible
question, Mr.. Moody and his assistants
made an elaborate investigation into
the laws governing appeals. The opin-
lon which they have prepared is now
lying upon Mr.. Moody s Desk.
1t is found that there is no avenue
by which the government can invite
the supreme court to give consideration
TO the cases.
The president has been Informed OF
the nature of this opinion. The official
communication of its character will bt
made to him probably tomorrow and
be will then write his message to con
greSs.
Call Spade a Spade.
The president has determined already
upon the contents Of the message. Il
will be one of the most powerful hi
has ever written. 1t will call a spade
spade.
1t will show that the policy of con
gress in ordering special investigation:
Is handicapping the executive brancl
of the government in the criminal pros
ecution of men who have, and who are
violating the law
1t will explain briefly the case o:
the government against the beef pack
ers and will refer in terms of shar1
criticism to the decision of Judg
Humphrey. 1t will dwell especial,
upon the existing immunity statute an'
recommend that it be modified in orde
that general immunity may not be Sc
cured by all officials of a corporation
because one Of them testified to fact
which show violation of the law.