Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-12-15
rileir NNickcdncss Only Surpassed by
Their F,.tuity--'rher Was Nothing
Wrong in o. S. Dealings.

sNhOlh!s
Washington. ID. G., Dec. 15.--presi-
dent Roosevelt today sent to the senate
q statement concerning the purchase OF
the Panama canal property by the
United tates, denouncing in strong
language charges that there was any
thing wrong in the acquisition by the
United States OF the canal property.
These stories," he continues. were
first brought to my attention as pub
lished in paper in indianapolis called
the News, edited by Mr.. Delavan
Smith. The stories were scurrilous and
]ibelous in character and false in every
essential particular. Mr.. Smith shelters
himself behind the excuse that he
merely accepted the statements which
had appeared in a paper published in,
New York, the World, owned by Mr..
Joseph Pulitzer. 1t is idle to say that
the known character OF Mr.. Pulitzer,
and his newspaper are such that the
statements in that paper will be be-
licved by nobody; unfortunately, thou
sands of persons are ill-informed in
this respect and believe the statements
they see printed even though they ap-
pear in a newspaper published by Mr..
Pulitzer
PRESIDENTS STATEMENT.
Summarizing charges made III this
connection, the president says:
These statements sometimes appear
ed in the editorials, sometimes in the
news columns, sometimes in the shape
OF contributions by individuals either,
unknown or known to be OF; bad char
acter- They are. false in every par
ticular from beginning to end. The
Wickedness of the ISLANDERS Is only sur
passedr by their faulty. So utterly base
less are the stories that apparently
they represent III part merely material
collected for campaign purposes and IN
part stories originally conceived with
a View OF positive blackmail. The In
Nentor OF the story about Mr.. Charles
II Taft, for instance, evidently sup
posed that at some period of the Panl-
ma purchase Mr.. William Fl. Taft was
secretary Of war3whereas, in reality Mr..
William II. Taft never became score
tary of war until long after the whole
transaction in question had been closed.
The inventor OF the story about Mr.
Douglas Robinson had not taken the
trouble to find out the fact that Mr.
Robinson had not had the slightest
connection. directly or Indirectly, Of
any kind OF sort with any phase of the
Panama transaction from beginning 20
end. The men who attacked Mr.. Root
in the matter had not taken the trouble
10 read the public documents which
would have informed them that Mr..
Root had nothing to do with the pur-
chase, which was entirely arranged
the department of justice I'M
der then Atty.-Gen. Knox
PULITZER REAL CULPRIT.
Now these stories as a matter OF
fact, need no Investigation Whatever
No shadow of proof has been, or can
be produced in behalf of any OF them.
They consist mainly of a string or
infamous libels. Iii form they are part
~ libels upon Mr.. Taft and Mr.. Rob-
lnson for instance. but they are IN racr
Wholly. and in form partly a libel up
on the United States government. I
do not believe we Should concern our
selves with the particular individuals
who write the lying and libelous edi-j
torials. articles from correspondents or
articles in the news columns. The
real offender Is Mr.. Joseph Pulitzer,
editor and proprietor OF the World.
Mr. Pulitzer has been guilt is in form
a4libel upon individuals, the great in
Jury done is in blackening the good
name of the American people 1t
should not be left to a private citizen
to sue Mr.. Pulitzer for libel. He should
be prosecuted for libel by the gov
eminent authorities. In point of en-
OF iniquity in point of of
infanY. of wrong doing. there is moth
ing to choose between a public servant
who betrays his trust, a public servant
who Is guilty of blackmail or theft.
and a man guilty as Mr.. Joseph Pulti-
Ger has been guilty. in this instance.
1t is therefore high national duty to
bring to justice this villitier OF the Am
erican people. this man who Wantonly
and wickedlS and without one shadow
of justification seeks to blacken the
character of reputable private citizens
and TO convict the government of his
own country in the eyes of the civilized
world of wrong doing of the basest |
and fpulest kind when he has not one
shadow of justification of any sort Of
description of the charge he has. made.
The encouragement has under con-
siieration the form under which the |
against Mr.. Pulitzer shall |
be brought.
The president refers to various pa
I1ers which he transmits with his mes
sage and calls attention to numerous
and acts relating to the |
canal and It's purchase. He cites the
act of Congress. by which, 1t was au-
thorized 10 pay forty million dollars
for the canal property and says II was
no concern of the president what the |
new Panama Canal company did with !
the money.
II CANAL TRANSACTION
L,.y,,loi,,t,,, ~, ,,,ntI,rd. of cnnnI,,d |
ing the purchase the president says:
THE Panama canal transaction was
actually carried through not by either
the then secretary Of state. Mr. John |
Hay, or the then secretary Of war,
Mr. Elihu Root. both of whom, how
ever were cognizant of all the es-
sential features: but by the then at |
torney-general, Mr.. p G. Knox. at
IL zen: !
or approved every action, anu |
am responsible for all provisions OF
the law. enacted by Congress after
= u tow a