New-York tribune., 1908-12-11
MR. CROMWELL REPLIES,
Says Panama Canal Charges Are
False.

The following statement. denying the Panama
Canal charges, was made by William Nelson
Cromwell yesterday:
Ny attention has been called 10 a statement is
sued by the editor of The Indianapolis News in
which he attempts to reply TO the charge made
by President Roosevelt that certain statements
made in The Indianapolis News both before and
since the recent election and relating to the pur-
chase of the Panama Canal by the United States
were false and untrue. The President said:
The News" gives currency to the charge that
for property that cost these citizens only
Sl2oOeooo The statement is false u The he United
American citizen, etc.
F-otr he sc tenaezt issed IN reply by the editor
Of The News I quote the following:
The only man who paid any attention to them
chat is. The criticisms referred TO- ETC. was Mr.
way related the affair. We had no word from
m a,le ,!ronSpeT and Morgan. who we're believed to
have full information in regard 20 the business
said nothing.
And he attempts Justify the publication OF the
false statements appearing in his paper by saying
that they were based largely statements Of
The New York World criticisms which were MADE
over and over again during the campaign were
utterly ignored until to-day
The reply Of the editor Of The News furnishes
another proof Of the justice Of the Preslaent
characrerizatiors. for in the very journal under
whose sheets it now takes refuge, namely III Inc
New York World" Of October 3, 1908 appears an
explicit and unqualified denial by me Of the story
referred to. and in which l used the loNo"lHs
language:
test ali Kinds Of stories which are not worthy Of
notice. but this one wish TO aenouIte IL -
s'I9nsf sbsd9w 5fi of Truth in it. Seiiher nor any one
allied with either directly or lldlLecttE. ttE.{ a
Ever Bought sold dealt in or ever made penny
o,r{}ieg Of either the old Panama Canal Company
or the new Panama Canal Company. or ever ,- re-
millions paid by The United States l MAKE tnls
the most sweeping statement that language 1ai
EVERYBODY connected with the affair knows.
own hands at Washington or New York as the
general counsel of the cempanS, ahG @ ny 5iiIf61
direct from the Treasury of the United states
through the bankers Of the goyernmsn5 into the the
liquidators Of the two con2a - m
~ 5ietrib1Ited bv them the hundreds Of thou
sands Of benedciartes. and not one do.ldI Ia o. - -
nectea with me. OF course. I do not refer 70 our
regular compensation as CounSei.
wish 70 call attention to the fact that upon the
aret dsv of the hearings before the Committee on
T,-erocsanfc Canals OF the Senate Of the United
States in February, 1896, voluntarily made an e1-
pIict and detailed statement showing how the $40
400 noo WAS paid by the United States. through
l1aesrs J. p Morgan q Co their agents the
rza,ly cf France al Paris for account the New
Panama Canal Company. and also explaining the
..n..,,,ar+ rav1nent Of the fun amount 10 the
1f1,idators Of the New Panama Canal Company
and m the Hduidators Of the old Panama Canal
,,omDan,. who. in turn. distributed the same 10
their respective stock and bond holders. numbering
hundreds of thousands Of persons.
further submitted to the Senate committee with
the PERMISSION of the Panama government a de
tailed statement Of the disposition by the Republic
Of Panama of the 100000 paid by the United
states 10 Panama in 1904 accounting for the pay
mont of the whole amount. and showing the in
,.sstr17enrs and disposition by the Panama govern
ment Of every dollar
I-pon the same public inquiry 7 further stated.
with reference TO the proposed Americauzation of
the Panama Canal Company in the year 1893 and
r,e proposed formation Of "a syndicate for that
rIrnose in that year that the proposed plan never
r77tl1red into anything II never ConsIrnmated.
either bv subscription by assent and IL IS obso-
late and an impractcable thinE-proved so 10 he
II has no life or force Of being. did NOT exist and
never has existed. and IS dead as door nail
That was a frutIess suggestion Of the company
which came 20 naught- ana under which I acted
as their counsel solely.
The testimony taken h. the Senate committee is
a public record and was available 70 the editors Of
The News" and The World" and had either of
them been as interested I'm publishing truth as
they we're 10 create d political sensation they
doubtless would have taken the pains To have pub
nshed the above facts vhrn ! quote
again denounce the statement wherever pub
lisah5 NJ hv yhcusoeve~ made shat there was syn
dirate formed by American cUizeus to purchase the
Panama canal and to sell 1T to the United States
a- absolutely ard unquali1edly false and untrue
The Ar7erican.zatlon plan entirely different
Continued on aft. page
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