New-York tribune., 1908-12-16
THE WORLD'S" REPLY.


lowing editorial on President Roosevelts Pana-
ma message:
Mr.. Roosevelt is mistaken lie caiino' NiU~
zle The World ~; ,,r+
While no amount of binngsgate on his part
can alter our determination to treat nun ti w.
judicial impartiality and scrupuIous IalheSs'
we repeat what have already saluIlh" 'iio
Congress of the United States should @ INK d
fhorongb Investigation of the whole Panama
transaction that the full truth may De khoNh
to the American people .. .t,.
Mr. Roosevelt himself did not demand such an
inquiry. All his protestations OF outraged VIZ IT.
ue, all his torrents OF llnprecat.on ar+to, 60
nuncation, end with the amaZlnS U.s. u.s. ts,.
that there is nothing whatever in whlch tnIs
government is interested to lnvesugate aoou'
this transaction. .,i
ment paid to ii by Mr.. Roosevelt IN makhs II
the subject of a special message 10 .he IN
eress of the United States In the Whole ms
tory of American government no other fresI-
dent has ever paid such tribute to the power
and influence of a fearless Independent news
"'The World" likewise appreciates the impor-
tance and significance Of Mr.. Roosevelt stare
ment when he declares to Congress Ihat Ihe
proprietor of The World" should be prose
cuted for libel by the governmental authorl-
ties" and that the Attorney General has under
consideration the form under which the pro-
ceedings against Mr.. Pulitzer shall be broushL.
This is the first time a President ever assert l.
ed the doctrine of lese majesty, or proposed IN
the absence of specific legislation the crl1llnal
prosecution by the government OF cltlzens Wno
criticised the conduct of the government or tne
conduct of individuals who may have had bus1-
ness dealings with the government. Nelther the
King Of Great Britain nor the German emperor
would venture to arrogate such power 10 MN
self. John Adams's attempt to enforce the sed1-
tion law destroyed the Federalist party IN amer
lea Yet Mr. Roosevelt in the absence OF law
officially proposes to all the power OF the
greatest government on earth to cripple the
freedom OF the press on the pretext that the
government itself has been HbeHed-and ne Is
the government.
We aware that for many years Mr Roose-
welt has been savagely displeased with the edlto-
rial conduct of THE World" 1t is true that we
have criticised him sharply and frankly when
ever believed the public interest required
Just as we have heartily commended and sup
ported him whenever we believed the public IN
terest would thereby be advanced. Mr. Roose-
velt's attacks on The World" be explained
only on the theory that he believes he can
muzze the paper, and our recent Impeachment
of his veracity seems to have been the last stra"
that broke his autOCratic back
1t IS true that The World" printed the puoilc
reports concerning the Panama Canal aHa1r
which resulted from William Nelson SromWen vel.
appeal to the District Attorneys office during
the recent campaign to prevent the publication
of a story which was said to be in the hanos Oh
the Democratic National COMMITTEE was
Mr. Cromwelrs action which raised the
issue In the campaign.
1t is true also that when Mr.. Roosevelt made
his attack upon Delavan Smith The World called
attention to certain statements which Mr..
Roosevelt must have known to be false or mis-
leading, and appealed to Congress to end all
scandal by a full and impartial investigation
If this be treason let Mr.. Roosevelt make the
most of it.
Mr Roosevelt's Iamentable habit of inaccurate
statement makes it impossible 10 accept either
his judgments or his conclusions In his mes
sage ne does not state correctly even so simple
a matter the pretended causes of his grlev-
He saws for example that THE World"
serted that there was corruption by or on be-
half Of the government of the United States
No such charge was made by this newspaper:
He saws il was asserted that there were i'm
proper dealings of some kind between agents of
the government and outside persons. No such
charge was made.
He saws that among those persons who it
was alleged. made huge profits were MI
Charles 2. Taft. a brother Of Mr. William h
Taft. then candidate for the Presidency, and
MI Douglas Robinson my brother-in-law.' No
such charge made.
The World" has never said that Charles p
Taft or Douglas Robinson made any profits
whatever Mr.. Taft denied that he was con
cerned in the transaction in any way, which
denial The World" published and accepted.
1t would have been equally glad to print Mr..
Robnson's denial could it have succeeded IN
obtaining from him, as 1t frequently at
tempted The World" has evidence that he
was associated with Mr.. Cromwell, and would
accept his word to that effect; for Mr.. Robin
son is estimable gentleman Of high charac-
ter. whose reputation for veraCity is infinitely
better than that of his distinguished brother
in-law.
If The World" has libeed anybody we hope
it will be punished, but we do not intend 10 be
intimidated by Mr.. Roosevelts threats, or by
Mr. Roosevelts denunCiation, or by Mr. Roose-
velt's power.
Mr. Roosevet's seething Indignation about
The Worlds" libel upon the United States
government is exquisite indictment indeed.
coming as it does from a President who less
than a week ago officially insinuated in his
message that the Congress of the United States
was composed Of sCoUndrels who amended an
appropriation bill because '"COngressmen did
not themselves wish to be investigated by
Secret Service men,
No other living man ever grossly libeled
the United States does this President who
besmrches Congress. bulldozes judges. assais
the integrity Of courts. slanders private Citi-
zens and who has shown himself the most
reckless. INSCRIPTIONS demagogue whom the
American people trusted with great power
and authority.
We say this not in anger but in sincere
row The World has immeasurabIy more
respect for the office Of President of the United
States than Theodore Roosevelt has ever shown
during the years in which he has maintained
reign of terror and vilfed the honor and hon
esty of both public officials and private cit-
zens who opposed his policies or thwarted him
in his purposes
So far as The World" is concerned its pro-
prietor may go TO jail If MIR. Roosevelt sue
ceeds as he threatens; but even in jail The
World will not cease to be fearless champion
OF free speech free press and free people.
II cannot be muzzled.
DENIAL FROM {. u. TAFT.