The Mena weekly star., 1907-05-02
REPLIES ID HIS CRITICS
President Roosevelt Stands by His Assertions Regarding Mover,
 Haywood and Debs.
CALLS THEM UNDESIRABLE CITIZENS
And Declares That Their Friends In Cook County Aid Society Are Guilty of Fragrant Impropiety in Their Actions ns-lndifferent to Con- demnation of Capital or Labor.

Washington, April 25.--In letter addressed to Honore Jaxon of Chi cago. chairman of the Cook County Mover Haywood conference made public Tuesday, President Roosevelt replied to the criticisms of his recent letter in which he referred to Mover Federation of Miners charged with i'm plication in the murder of Former Governor Stuenenburg of Idaho, as undesirable citizens" The president says he regrets any body of men should so far forget their duty to their country as to, by formation of societies or in other ways, endeayor to influence justice and coerce court or jury; that they, not he, are trying to influence justice and he condemns what he calls their fragrant impro- priety in the matter. He says that he indicated no opinion as to their guilt of the Steunenberg murder, but that 1t was simple absurdity to suppose lHdI DtCduSt d ludll iS Oii tiidl nt ID tree from criticism as to his manner of life He said he might as well be accused of trying to influence the suits against Hartman, some of whose friends had also criticised him. He said that Mover and Haywood stand IS representatives of those who habit lally appear as guilty of indictment to or apology for bloodshed and violence He added that he was profoundly in- different to the condemnation of him for his criticisms of the undesirable types of citizens. regardless of the power of either labor or capital
 The presidents letter to Jaxon fol lows in part:
 q have received your letter of the 18th inst. in which you enclose the iraft of the formal letter which Is to 'ollow. 1 have been notified that sew eral delegations bearing similar re- quests are on the way hither In the letter you, on behalf of the Cook county Mover Haywood conference protest against certain language I used in a recent letter which you as sert to be designed to influence the course of justice in the case of the rial for murder of Messrs Mover and Haywood I entirely agree with you that it Is improper to endeavor to in- luence the course of justice. whether oy threats or in any similar manner. For this reason I have regretted most deeply the action of such organizs- ions as your own in undertaking to accomplish this very result in the very ease of which you speak. For in stance, your letter is headed Cook County Mover Haywood -Pettibone Con- 'erence, with the headlines: Death ,an not, will not and shall not claim our brothers This shows that you and your associates are not demand ing fair trial or working for a fair hat the verdict shall only be one way. and that you will not tolerate any oth- er verdict. Such action Is fragrant in. It's impropriety and I join heartily in ,ondemning it.
 "The stand as the representatives AS these men who by their public ut serances and manifestos; by the utter ances of the papers they control and inspire. and by the words and deeds of those associated with or subordi- hated to them, habitually appear, as guilty of indictment to or apology for bloodshed and violence.
 If this does not constitute undesir- able citizenship, then there can never men whom l denounce represent the men who have abandoned that legit,- mate movement for the uplifting of labor, with which l have the most hearty sympathy; they have adopted practices which cut them off from those who lead this legitimate move ment In every way I shall support he law-abiding and upright represen- tative of labor, and in no way can better support them than by drawing the sharpest possible line between them on the one hand and on the other hand, those preachers of vio- lenee who are themselves the worst foes of the honest laboring man
 "You say you ask for square deal for Messrs Mover and Haywood So do l. When l say square deal l mean a square deal to everyone; 1t is equally a violation of the policy of the square deal for a capitalist to protest against denunciation of cap italist who is guilty of wrong doing and for labor leader to protest against the denunciation of labor leader who has been guilty of wrong doing. I stand for equal justice to both and so far as in my power lies, l shall uphold justice whether the man accused of guilt has behind him the wealthiest corporations, the greatest aggregation of riches in the country, Dr whether he has behind him the most influential labor organization in the country.
 
 The Kentucky Way.