The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1907-05-10
SQUARE DEAL FOR HAYWOOD
ROOSEVELT SAYS JUSTICE MUST
BE DONE.
DELEGATION From New York Union
Get Conference With the Pres
ident and Hear Good News

1ftenr and Hear OOOQ news.
New York, May SIN a letter
read today before the Central Fed
Grated union, President Roosevelt
states that II evidence is submitted TO
him showing that there has been a mis-
carriage Of justice for or against MOy-
er and Haywood, awaiting trial at
Boise, Idaho, charged with the muir
der Of former Governor SCunenbergs
he viii bring such evidence to the
attention OF the attorney general for
such action, If any, as il may be In
the power Of the federal authorities
10 take
The communication was the formal
reply of the president to the union
committee, which recently called on
the president and requested him to
set forth in general his attitude to-
ward the accused men, and specihcal-
" state why he had referred TO Meyer
and Haywood as undesirable citi-
zsns." =
In making his report today the
chairman, John Henry, said the com
mittee had spent more than an hour
with the president, at which time the
matter in hand was thoroughly dis
cussed. The president Signified his
intention Of formally replying to the
letter which the chairman then read
Following the reading there was an
animated discussion, during which the
chairman and COakIey, another mem
Ter of the committee, stOutly cham
piOned the attitude Of the chief ex-
ecutive. 1t was finally voted to send
copy of the letter to counsel for MOy-
er and Haywood.
In his reply the president quotes
from a letter written by him more
than a year ago to the attorney gen
eraI, in which he says that "Our duty
is (if it should ever happen that we
had any power in the matter) to see
Of IL ms
The presidents letter follows:
The White House, Washington, May
2, 1907.-My Dear Mr.. Henry: When
you, in company with MeSsrs- Coakley
and Brown, called upon me this morn
ing I read you the letter I had writ
ten to the attorney general Of March
Us, 1905, At your request L gladly
send you the following extract from
that letter:
'fOur duty is (ff 1T should ever hap
pen that we had any power in the
matter) to see that exact justice is
done these men. There must be no
conformation Of lawleSSneSS on our
part, even If the laWleSsness takes the
form of an effort to avenge the wrongs
committed by the lawleSSneSS OF 9TH
ers. 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
other men.
1T is alleged that they were extra
dited from Colorado in a manner that
amounted to a betrayal Of their legal
rights. I should like to have the dis
trict attorney Of Colorado, and, II nee
essary, 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 obtain as
f. IA
slightest disposition shown by the au-
th0rities in Idaho to act toward these
men in an unfair or improper man
neP, or to deny them their legal rights.
On the other hand, I should like to
know whether there IS any sym ptOm
of a miscarriage Of justice in their IA
vOr. The incorporate viOlance with
which the sOcialistic or labor papers,
like that Of Debs, and, I am sorry to
saw. some labor organs, have insisted.
without any knowledge Of the facts.
upon treating these men as martyrs
to the cause OF labor, has unQuestiOn-
ably resulted in tremendous pressure
being brought TO bear upon the au-
thorities Of Idaho to discharge OF &C
quit them whether guilty or limo
cent"
$50 far a 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 proven guilty Of this specific
act, they are entitled to the cordial
cooperation Of ali just and fair-mind-
ed citizens
SO far as by any action, or by muir
derous and reasonable language
such as that quoted above from Debs
(and Others) they tend to bring pres
sure to bear upon the state authori-
ties and the courts, TO Obstruct the
course Of justice, and to render it diff
ficult 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 JUS
tice is 20 be done.
In response TO your question, it is,
1 trust. needless for me TO say that II
at anv time you or any one else can
submit to me any evidence showing
that there has been a miscarriage OF
justice for or against MeSsrS. Meyer
or HAYWOOD, which YOU believe Il IS in
my power to remedy, I viii at once
bring such evidence to the attention
Of the attorney general 10 have him
give Il the fullest consideration and
to take thereon such action, II any, as
It may be in the power OF the fed
eral authorities to take Sincerely
yours, THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
Mt. John S Henry New York
In the discussion that followed a
motion 70 accept the committees re-
port a delegate charged that the
preSl1enL ndQ 6fe-us0 the issue ms
called forth a response from Delegate
Coakley. The latter said that the
committee considered the interview
and that II. was not up to the presl-
dent 20 prove that there has been a
miscarriage Of justice but to those de
tending Meyer and Haywood"
After several delegates had been
heard Z was decided TO forward q
copy Of the letter TO counsel for the
indicted Idaho labor leaders and let
them submit TO President Roosevelt
any evidence they might have thal
there had been a miscarriage Of jus
tee IN the extraditioa OK Hoyer, Hay.
wood and Fettbone from Colorado L
Idaho.
IN the course OF his remarks Mr
coaEisT said:
If we ask e man TO give rs
square deal. let as give him squar,
deal. too This letter Is not an eva