Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1908-10-06
SAYS Statement
IS misleading
W. L. sTURDEVANT OF ST. LOUIS
CHALLENGES PART OF HAS,
kELL'S LETTER..
INDIAN LANDS ARE
INVOLVED IN CASE
Suits In Which the Governor of Okla
homa Is Involved Declared to Have
Been Delayed by the Defendant
Parties.

Washington, Oct. 5.-President i
Roosevelt gave out for publication
letter received by him from w. L.
Sturdevant of ST. Louis, Mo-, in
which the writer declares that Gov.
Haskells statement in his letter Of
September 80, regarding the latter's
connection with the Creek Indian
lands, is so imperfect that 1t is en-
tirely misleading. The text of the let
ter follows:
Dear Mr.. President: l notice in
Gov. Haskell's letter of date Septem-
Der 80 the following statement:
Yes, believe l am defendant as
to certain government townsite lots
In one of nearly 1000 suits that you
have had brought against as many diff
ferent honorable and high-minded citi-
zens of this state during this presi-
dental campaign year, and you will
not undertake to deny that petty poll
ties for the purpose of Republicanizing
about 100000 Indian voters was your
sole motive for having those suits
brought; and | charge you with know
ing that there has been no delay In
these cases, except that occasioned by
the courts deliberations, taken by him
self as time he deemed necessary to
consider whether or not there is any
merit in the petition filed by your at
torney.'
Calls Statement Misleading.
THE above statement regarding the
townsite suits is so imperfect that 1t Is
entirely misleading. All those suits
in which Gov Haskell is defendant.
except one, were filed in 1907, prior
to the admission of Oklahoma as a
state. He is charged with a direct
participation in the frauds through
which the Indians were deprived of
their property and the bills seek to
hold him personally liable for the in
jury thus inflicted. He has not an
swered to the merits in single case.
but all pleas filed by his attorneys are
purely technical, and necessarily dtla,
tory in effect Mr.. Mott, attorney for
the Creek Indian nation, and myself
have many times urged a hearing on
the merits of these cases, and l have
personally proposed several times to
his attorneys of record that they file
answers in the cases in order that q
hearing might be had upon the merits
and the cases disposed of. These sug
gestions have never met an affirmative
response and the result is that the
cases have taken the regular course
on a heavy docket. We have an.
nounced several times in open court
and otherwise that we are ready for
an immediate hearing in any and all
suits fled
Why Course Was Taken.
This has been done with view Of
obtaining a speedy adjustment of the
controversies and in order to give any
an, opportunity to acqu1t himself OF
such charge, If possible, without delay.
This course could have been pursued
without any violation of ultimate
rights, as Jurisdiction over the parties
and subject matter cannot be waived
in the federal courts but for reasons
probably sufficient unto them the de,
PENDANTS have not approved it."
Bryan Again Critcises President.
Fairview, Lincoln, Neb., Oct. s.
Mr. Bryan gave out the following
statement Saturday:
When criticised the president for
using an Office which belonged to all
the people as party asset, did not
know that l was using language SO
much like that which had been en-
ployed before, but my attention has
been called to an editorial in the New
York Tribune of October rs, 1882 1t
criticises President Arthur for taking
part in the campaign in behalf Of the
Republican ticket, and says:
Why should he assist in the cam.
paign of any party. He is the presi
dent of the whole country and not the
manager of elections in any part of it.
This is 80 completely in harmony
with my criticism that | am glad to
indorse it, although it was not
brought to my attention until to-day