The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-05-06
PRESIDENT FOR
 JUSTICE ONLY Letter on Mover Haywood Affair to New York
 Labor Union.
STATES HIS ATTITUDE
Will Use Whatever Power He Has to Prevent Mis-
 carriage of Law.

 to-day before the Central Federated union, President Roosevelt states that if evidence Is submitted to him show ing that there has been miscarriage of justice for or against Mover and Haywood, awaiting trial at Boise, Ida ho, charged with the murder of former Governor Steunenberg, he will bring such evidence to the attention of the attorney general for such action, if any, as 1t may be in the power of the federal authorities to take.
 The communication was the formal reply of the president to the commit tee of the union which recently called upon Mir. Roosevelt in Washington and requested him to set forth in general his attitude toward the accused men, and, specifically, why he had referred to Mover and Haywood as "undesira- ble citizens
 In making his report to-day, the chairman, John s. Henry, said that the committee had spent more than an hour with the president, at which time the matter in hand was thoroughly dis cussed. The president signified his in- tention of formally replying In the let ter which the chairman then read. Following the reading there was an animated discussion, during which the chairman and William Coakley, anoth- CT member of the committee, stoutly championed the attitude of the chief executive. It was finally voted to send a copy of the letter to counsel for Moy- CT and Haywood.
 Tn his reply the president quotes at length from a letter written by him more than a year ago to the attorney general, in which he said that "our duty is eff 1t should ever happen that we-had any power in the matter) to see shat exact justice is done these men,
 The presidents letter follows:
 The White House,
 Washington, May 2, 1907 My Dear Mir. Henry:
 When you, in company with Messrs. Coakley and Brown, called upon me this morning, I read you the letter I had written to the attorney-gene on March 25, 1906. At your request glad ly send you the following extract from the letter:
 "our duty is (f it should ever hap pen that we had any power in the rnatter), to see that exact justice is done these men. There must be no conformation of lawlessness to avenge the wrongs committed by the lawless- ness of others. The sole question as regards Haywood and Mover must be the question whether or not they can be shown to be guilty of this particular aGt, and their legal rights must be carefully safeguarded as those of any other men, It is alleged that they were extradited from Colorado in a manner that amounted to betrayal of their legal rights. should like to have the district attorney of Colorado and if necessary, the district attorney of Idaho give me such information as they can on this point. I should like to get from the district attorney of Idaho any information that he can ob- tain as to whether or not there has been the slightest disposition shown by the authorities in Idaho to act toward these men in an unfair or improper marner, or to deny them their legal rights On the other hand I should like to know whether there is any symp- tom of a miscarriage of justice in treir favor. The incorporate violence with which the socialistie or labor pa- pers like that of Debs' and, am sorry to say some labor organizations have insisted without any knowledge of the facts upon treating these men as mar tyrs to the cause of labor has unques- tionably resulted in tremendous press ure being brought to bear upon the au- thorities of Idaho, to discharge or &C., quit them whether guilty or innocent. So far as the unions are anxious only to see that exact justice is done these men; that they are given their full legal rights and not condemned unless proved guilty of this specific act, they are entitled to the cordial cooperation of all just and fair minded citizens. So far as by any action, or by murderous and reasonable language such as that quoted above from Debs (and others) they tend to bring pressure to bear uron the state authorities and the courts to obstruct the course of Jus tice and to render it difficult to convict the men if guilty, they are equally without stint to be condemned; and anything that the federal authorities can do, in either event to further the cause of justice is to be done,"
 In response to your question, it is l trust needless for me to say that if at any time you or any one else can sub- init to me any evidence showing that there has been a miscarriage of jus tice for or against Messrs. Mover or Haywood, which you believe it is in my power to remedy, I will at once bring such evidence to the attention of the attorney general to have him give 1t the fullest consideration and to take thereon such action. if any as it may be in the power of the federal authori- ties to take.
 Sincerely yours
 THEODORE ROOSEVELT.