The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-05-06
ANSWER TO THE
CENTRAL UNION
Roosevelt Delivered of Another
Utterance on the Moyer-Hay-
wood Pettibone Case.
MORE MODERATE IN TONE
WILLING TO INTERFERE ON
EITHER SIDE.

New York, May SIN a letter read
today before the Central Federated
union, President Roosevelt states that
If evidence is submitted to him showing
that there has been a miscarriage of
justice for or against Meyer and Hay
wood, awaiting trial at Boise, Idaho,
charged with the murder of former
Governor Steunenberg, he viii bring
such evidence to the attention of the
attorney general for such action, if any.
as it may be in the power of the federal
authorities to take
The communication was the formal
reply of the president to the union COM
mittee which recently called on the
president and requested him to set forth
in general his attitude toward the ac-
cused men and specifically why he had
referred to Meyer and Haywood as ''un-
desirable citizens"
Talked With the President.
In making his report today the chair
man, John Henry, said the committee
had spent more than an hour with the
president, at which time the matter in
hand was thoroughly discussed. The
president signified his intention of for
mally replying in the letter which the
chairman then read. Following the
reading there was an animated discus
sion, during which the chairman, and
COakley, another member of the COM
mittee, 5toutly championed the attitude
of the chief executive. 1t was finally
voted to send a copy of the letter to
counsel for Meyer and Haywood.
In his reply the president quoted from
letter written by him more than a
year ago to the attorney general. in
which he says that our duty is (if it
should ever happen that we had any
power in the matter) to see that exact
Justice is done these men,"
RooseveIt's Letter.
The presidents letter follows:
The White House, Washington, d. c.,
May ,, 1907.
My Dear Mr.. Henry:-When you, in
company with Messrs. Coakley and
Brown, called upon me this morning L
read you the letter / had written to the
attorney general of March %, 1906. AT
your request l gladly send you the fol-
lowing extract from that letter;
Our duty is Gf il should ever hap
pen that we had any power in the mat
teri to see that exact justice is done
these men. There must be no condona-
ton Of lawlessness on our part, even
if the lawlessness takes the form of an
effort TO avenge the wrongs committed
by the lawlessness OF others. The sole
question as regards Haywood and Meyer
must be the question whether or not
they can be shown to be guilty of this
particular act. and their legal rights
must be as carefully safeguardcd as
those of any other men. 1t is alleged
that they were extradited from Colo
RADIO in a manner that amounted to a
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 infor-
nation as they can on this point.
should like to get from the district at
torney of Idaho any information that he
can obtain as to whether or not there
has been the slightest disposition shown
by the authorities in Idaho to act to-
ward these men in an unfair or improp-
err manner, or to deny them their le-
gal rights.
Dehs and Others.
" on the other hand. | should like to
know whether there is any symptom of
a miscarriage of justice in their favor.
The Incorporate violence with which
the socialistic or labor papers like that
Of Debs and | am sorry to say some
labor organs. have insisted without any
knowledge Of the facts, upon treating
these men as martyrs to the cause of
labor, has unquestionably resulted in
tremendous pressure being brought to
bear upon the authorities of Idaho to
discharge or acquit them. whether
guilty or innocent. So far as the unions
are anxious only TO see that exact JUS
tice is done these men, that they are
given their full legal rights, and not
unless proved guilty of this
specific act, they are entitled to the cor
dial cooperation of all just and faiI-
minded citizens. So far as by any ac-
ton. or by murderous and treas onabie
language, such as that quoted above
from Dens (and others they tend to
bring pressure to bear upon the state
authorities and the courts to obstruct
the course of Justice. and to render it
difficult TO convict the men if guilty,
they are equally without stint to ibe
and anything that the fed
aral authorities can DO. in either event.
10 further the cause of justice is to be
lone
'In response To your question. il is, /
trust, needless for me to say that if
at any time you or any one else can
submit to me any evidence showing
that there has been miscarriage of
Justice for or against Messrs. Meyer or
Haywood which you believe II IS in my
power To remedy. I will at once bring
such evidence to the attention of the
attorney general to have him give it
he fullest consideration. and to take
thereon such action. if any. as it may
De in the power of the federal authors
les to take
Sincerely yours.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT"
Mr. John 5. Henry, New York.
In the discussion that followed a mo-
ion to accept the committees report, a
delegate charged that the president had