The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1907-05-11
PRESIDENT STATES STAND
ASKED HIS ATTITUDE ON MOVER.
HAYWOOD CASE.
QUOTES FROM A FORMER LETTER
Some Of the Members of the Union
StoutIy Championed President
RooseVeit's Attitude.

before the Central Federated unions
President Roosevelt states that if evil
denco is submitted to him showing
that there had been miscarriage of
justice for or against Meyer and Hay
wood, awaiting trial at Boise, Idaho,
charged with the murder of former
Gov. ~Steunenberg, he will bring such
evidence to the attention of the at
torney general for sue action, If any,
as it may be in the power of the fed
eral authorities to 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 toward
tho accused men and specifically why
he had referred to Meyer and Hay
wood as undesirable citizens.
Champion Attitude Of President.
In making his report, the chairman,
John Henry, said the, committee a
spent more than an hour with the"pres-
ident, at which time the matter in
hand was thoroughly discussed. The
president signified his intention OF
formally replying in the letter which
the chairman then read. Following
the reading. there was an animated
discussion. during which the chairman
and William Coakley, another mem
Der of the committee, stOutly cham
pioned the attitude of the chief eN-
ecutive. 1t was finally voted to send
a COPY of the letter to counsel for
Meyer and Haywood.
In his reply the president. quotes
from a letter written by him more
thar a year ago to the attorney gen.
eral, in which he says that Our duty
is it should ever happen that we
had any power in the matter) to see
that exact justice is done these men.
The presidents letter follows:
.'The White House. Washington. May
3. 19O7.-My Dear Mr.. Henry: When you;
in mpan with MessTs; Coakley ana
Brown. called upon me this morning, l
read you the letter l had written 70
the attorney general on March %: 1906.
At your request l gladly sent the follow
ing extract from that letter:
7Our duty is (f it should ever happen
that we had any power IN the natter
TO see that exact justice is done these
men. There must be no conformation OF
iawIessness on our part. even if the law
iesSneSS takes the fOrm OF an efort TO
ayenCe the wrongs committed by the
iawIessness 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 Safeguarded as those OF any
other men. 1t is alleged that they were
extradited from Colorado in a manner
that amounted to Il betrayal of their
legal rights. / should like TO have tn"
district attorney of Colorado and: II nee
essary. the district attorney OF Idaho.
give me such i~nfOrmation as they can
on this point. / should like TO get from
the district attorney of Idaho any in
formation that he can obtain as to wheth-
er or not there has been the slightest
disposition shown by the authorities In
Idaho to act toward these men IN an
them their legal rights. on the other
hand. l should like TO know whether there
is any symptom of Il miscarriage Of
justice in their favo:; The Incorporate
violence with which the sOcialistic or la
Dor papers, like that of Debs and. | am
sorry to say, some labor organizations
have insisted. without any knowledge OF
the facts upon treating these men az
martyrs to the cause OF labor. has un-
queStiOnablY resulted in tremendous
pressure being brought to bear upon the
authorities OF Idaho to discharge or ac-
quit them, whether guilty or innocent. So
far as the unions are anxious only to
see that exact Justice is done these mon:
that they are given their full legal rights
and not condemned unless proved guilty
Of this specific act, they are entitled to
the corsial cooperation of all just and
flir-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 upon the state authori-
ties and the courts to ObStruct the course
of justice and to render it difficult to
convict rhe men. If guilty. they are
equally without stint to be condemned.
and anything that the federal authOri-
ties can do. in either event to further the
cause OF justice is to be done.
In response to your question. it IS.
I trust, needless for me to say that IL
any time YOU or any one else can sub
init to me any evidence Showing that
there has been n miscarriage of Justice
for or against MoSSrS. Meyer or Hay
wood. which You believe it is in my pow
er to remedy. l will at once bring such
evidence to the attention OF the attorney
general to have him give it the fullest
c0nside.atiOn and to take thereon such
action. if any; rs it may be in the power
of the federal authorities to take.
"Sincerelv yours.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT"
In the discussion that followed a mo
ton to accept the committees report,
a delegate charged that the president
had eVaded the issue. This called forth
a response from Delegate Coakley.
The latter said that the committee
considered the interview satisfactory
and that il was not up to the presi-
dent to prove that there had been a
miscarriage Of justice, but to those de-
Tending Meyer and Haywood"
After several delegates had been
heard, it was decided to forward a
copy of the letter to counse for the
indicted Idaho labor leaders and let
them submit to President Roosevelt
any evidence they might have that
there had been a miscarriage of JUS
tive in the eXtradition of Meyer, Hay
wood and PCttibone from Colorado to
Idaho.