The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1908-12-18
THE PANAMA
CANAL DEAL
CAME IN FOR SPECIAL MESSAGE
FROM PRESIDENT ROOSE-
WELT TO CONGRESS.
READING OF MESSAGE CALLED
FORTH LAUGHTER AND
INCREMENT IN SENATE.

Washington Dec. 5.-President
Roosevelt today sent to the senate
a statement concerning the purchase
CT the Panama canal property by
the United States government, de-
nouncing in strong language the
charges that there was anything
wrong in the acquisition of the
property. After pointing out the
mistakes and alleged misrepresenta-
tions on the part of the authors of
the canal stories, the president con-
tinues: 1.-The real offender is JOS.
Pulitzer, editor and proprietor of
| the New York World. While the
criminal offense which Pulitzer has
been guilty Of is in the form of libel
upon individuals yet great injury
has been done in the blackening of
the good name of the American peo-
pie. 1t should not be left for pri
vate citizens to sue Pulitzer for libel
but he should be prosecuted for libel
by the government authorities. 1t
bring to justice as the villiher of
the American people, this man who
wantonly, wickedly and without the
shadow of justification seeks to
blacken the character Of reputable
private citizens and to convict his
government in the eyes Of the civil
lied world of wrong doing of the
basest and foulest kind. He has
not one shadow Of justification of
any sort for the charges he has
made.
The attorney general has under
consideration form in which pro-
ceedings against Pulitzer shall be
brought"
The president refers to various
papers which he transmits with his
message. In explaining the method
of concluding the purchase Of the
Panama canal property the presi-
dent takes upon himself the respon-
sibility- for all that was done to
carry out the will of congress. The
action of the government, he says,
,, was wholly uninfluenced by any
question of who were or were not
stockholders either in the new or
the old company
Repeated peals of laughter greet
ed the reading of the opening para
graph of the message in the senate.
AS the secretary read the state
ment that the charges were false in
every particular Senator Bailey
laughed outright and other senators
on both sides of the chamber joined
him. When the reader reached the
statement that the statements in the
newspapers, which he mentioned,
would not be believed, there was
general merriment. There was only
small number Of senators present
when the reading was begun and
it was hurried through. The papers
accompanying the message were not
read. The message received greater
attention in the house
In the senate, Senator Foraker
endeavored to have a resolution
adopted calling on the secretary of
war for detailed information con-
corning men empoyed,, instructions
given and expenses incurred by de-
Senator Warren objected to imme-
date consideration of the resolution
and it will come up for consideration
tomorrow.
The postal savings bank was the
subject of speeches by Senators Car
ter and Depew, both of whom adj
vocated the measure. The bill was
made an order of unfinished bust
ness.
Upon motion Of Senator Fulton,
the omnibus bill will be taken up
for consideration by the senate on
January sixth.
Washington, Dec. 15.-The hopes
of the so-called insurgents in the
house for revision of the rules of
that body were dispelled for the
time being at least when Congress
man Gardner, of Mass, today failed
to obtain the adoption of an amend
ed resolution calling for the appoint
| ment of a committee with the right
to consider the subject and report
| to congress whatever they deem
necessary A substantial majority
of the house voted to take away
from the committee on foreign af-
fairs the consideration of a resolu-
ton which in its original form sim
ply called for information from the
secretary of state regarding what
the British house of commons has
done in that regard. The ruling of
the speaker was that the amend
ment of Mr. Gardeners changed the
character Of the resolution in such
a way as to not make it privileged.
The speaker was sustained and the
resolution laid upon the table.
After passing some bills relating
to the district of Columbia the re-
mainder of the day was taken uE
with the bill to revise the pena
laws of the United States, which was
considered at some length at the
last session.
( New York, Dec. 16.-The World
in the course of its answer to Prssi