The Oskaloosa herald., 1907-04-25
scripps-McRae Telegram.


addressed y Horore Jaxon of Chicago,
chairman the Cook county Moyer-
Haywood conference" made public
Tuesday, Rresident Roosevelt replied
to the I iticisms of his recent letter
in whif he referred to Meyer and
Hsywos officials of the Western
Federal IN of Miners, charged with
lmplics bn in the murder of former
Gov. s nuremberg Of Idaho, as "unde-
sirable citizens"
The president says he regrets any
body of men should SO far forget their
duty to their country as, by formation
Of societies and in other ways, to en-
deavor to influence justice and coerce
coprt or jury; that they, not he, are
trying to influence justice, and he
condemns what he calls their fiagrant
lmpropriety in the matter. He says
that he indicated no opinion as to
their guilt of the Steunenberg murder,
but that it was a simple absurdity to
suppose that because man is on trial
he IS free from criticism as to his
manner of life. He said he might as
we'll be accused of trying to influence
the suits against Hartman, some Of
whose friends had also criticised him.
He said that Meyer and Haywood
stand as representatives of those who
habitually appear as guilty of inciteA
ment to or apology for bloodshed and
: violence. He added that he was pro-
loundly Indifferent to the condemna-
lion of him for his criticisms of the
undesirable types of citizens, regard
less of the power of either labor or
capital. ..
Text Of the Letter.
The letter follows:
april %, 1907. Dear Sir:-I have
received your letter of the 18th inst,
In which you enclose the draft of the
formal letter which is to follow.
have been notified that several dele
cations bearing similar requests are
on the way hither. In the letter you.
On behalf of the Cook county Meyer
Haywood conference, protest against
certain language l used in recent
letter which you assert to be designed
to influence the course of Justice In
the case of the trial for murder of
Messrs. Moyer and Haywood. I en-
tirely agree with you that 1t is i'm
proper to endeavor to influence. the
course of justice, whether by threats
or in any similar manner. For this
season | have regretted most deeply
the action of such organizations as
your own in undertaking to accomp-
Iish this very result in the very case
Of which you speak
For instance, your letter Is headed
Cook county Moyer-Haywood Petit
bone conference with the headlines:
Death cannot, will not and shall not
claim our brothers. This shows that
you and your associates are not de-
mandlng fair trial, or working for a
fair trial, but are announcing In ad-
vance that the verdict shall only be
one way, and that you will not toler-
ate any other verdict. Such action is
fragrant in its impropriety and l join
heartily in condemning 1t.
Not Freed From Criticism.
"But 1t is q simple absurdity to
suppose that because any man is on
trial for given offense he is there
fore to be freed from all criticisms
upon his general conduct and man
ner of life. In my letter to which you
object, l referred to a certain promi-
nent financier, Mr.. Hartman, on the
one hand, and to Messrs, Meyer, Hay
wood and Debs on the other, as be-
Ing equally undesirable citizens. 1t is
as foolish to assert that this was de-
signed to influence the trial of Meyer
and Haywood, as to assert that 1t was
designed to influence the suits that
have been brought against Mr. Harri-
man. / neither expressed nor indicat-
ed any opinion as to whether Messrs.
Meyer and Haywood were guilty of
the murder Of Gov. Steunenberg. If
they are guilty, they certainly ought
to be punished. If they are not gull.
ty they ought not to be punished.
"But no possible outcome, either OF
the trial or the suits, can affect my
Judgment as to the undesirability OF
the type of citizenship of those whom
| mentioned Messrs. Meyer, Hay
wood and DeDs stand as representa-
tives of those men who have done as
much to discredit the labor movement
as the worst speculative financiers
or most INSCRIPTIONS employers OF
labor and debauchers of legislatures
have done to discredit honest capital
lists and fair dealing business men.
Why They Are Undesirable"
"They stand as the representatives
of these men who, by their public
utterances and manifestoes, by the ut
terances of the papers they control OF
inspire, and by the words and deeds
OF those associated with or subordin
ated to them. habitually appear as
guilty of incitement to or apology for
bloodshed and violence.
"If this does not constitute undeslra
BILE citizenship, then there can never