The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1908-12-07
newspaper MEN OF
THEIR TYPE ARE
MENACE
STORIES PRINTED IN INDIAN
APoLIs AND NEW YORK ARE
BRANDED AS FALsEHooDs OF
MOST WRuLENT NATURE.
president ROOSEVELT.

HOT SPRINGS, Va, Dec. IA lel-
ter written by President Roosevelt TO
William Dudley Foulke. OF Richmond
Ind. repudiating the editors OF the
indianapolis News and the New York
Sun has been made public here by MI.
Foulke. The indianapolis newspaper
charged that the United States govern
ment purchased from American clt-
zens for $4,000, 900 the Panama canal
property that was not worth more than
$4,000, 900, There is no doubt" de-
clared the paper. that the government
paid $40,000,000 for the property.
Where did the money go? The ad'
ministration and Mr.. Taft do not think
IL right that the people should know.
The presidents brother-in-law Is IL
volved In the scandal, but he has moth
Ing TO say" This story appeared the
day before election. President Roose-
Welt brands the charges ridiculous.
The article in the New York Sun
criticised President Roosevelt for
granting a franchise to the Prairie
Oil Co. in Oklahoma. This oil COM
pany Is said TO be owned by the STAN
dard Oil trust. II figured In the SEN
sational correspondence between Pres
ident Roosevelt, VIM. J. Bryan and
Charles N. Haskell. shortly before
Nov. 4.-President Roosevelt rebukes
Mr.. Laffan. the editor of the Sun. say
ing he granted the Prairie oil fran
chise by simply approving the recon-
mendation OF Mr.. Hitchcock, then sec
rotary of the interior.
Mr.. Roosevelt's reply to Mr.. Foulke
follows:
white House, Washington. Dec. /.
1908:
my Dear Mr.. Foulke-I have re-
ceived your letter of the 18th ultimo
and have read 1t In connection with
your previous letters, inclosing quota
lions from the Indianapolis News, a
paper edited by Mr.. Delavan Smith.
AS Mr.. Smith certainly knew that all
the statements he made were false,
both as to this Panama matter and as
to the other matters OF which you en-
close me clippings. and inasmuch,
therefore, as the exposure OF the fat
sity will not affect his future state
ments. am not very clear what gooo
viii result from such exposure.
Documents Not Destroyed.
But inasmuch as you evidently
earnestly desire some answer, and as
you say that some reputable people
appear to believe the fafsehoods Of the
News and Mr.. Smith, and as you seem
to think that his falsehoods as regards
the Panama matter are the most prom
inent, l will answer them.
'The News states In one OF its is
sues that probably some Of the docu-
ments dealing with the matter have
been destroyed. This is false. Not ons
has been destroyed. II states that
the last documents were sent over In
June OF this year. the object OF this
particular falsehood being, apparently.
to connect the matter In some way
with the nomination OF Mr.. Taft.
"As a matter of fact, the last papers
that we have received Of any kind
were sent over to US In May OF 1904,
and they have been accessible to ev-
cry human being who cared to look
at them ever since, and are now. An"
reputable man within or without con
gress, Republican or Democrat, has
now and always has had the oppor-
tunity to examine any Of these docu-
ments.
"You quote the News as stating
that The people have no official
knowledge concerning the Panama ca
nal deal The fact is that the people
have had the most minute Official
knowledge; that every important step
in the transaction and every impor-
tant document have been made pub
lie In communications to congress and
through the daily press and the whole
matter has been threshed over In all
its details again and again and again.
THE News gives currency to the
charge that the United States bought
from American citizens for $4,000 900
property that cost these citizens only
$12,000.00.' The statement Is false. The
United States did not pay a cent OF
the $40.000.000 to any American cih-
zen. The News says that there Is no
doubt that the government paid s4O.-
100000 for the property and continues