Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1908-12-18
FRIDAY. December 10. 1908.
THE PRESIDENT AND PANAMA.

Mr.. Roosevelt has, in our opinion,
made grave mistake by dignlfylng
the Panama canal scandal in his pub
lie messages. He of all others should
have treated it with silent contempt.
1t is a matter which can be investlgat-
ed. Congress could have taken it up
and saved him the trouble and impro-
priety of placing the charges in his
messages. The messages show ill
temper, they use language president
ought not to use, and they give adver-
tisement to persons, some of whom
seek notoriety wherever it may be
found. 1t is true the charges were irri-
tating, but nobody, even the presidents
worst enemy, ever thought he had
done anything crooked. His kindred
and those of Mr.. Taft are able bodied
p ersons of fair mentality and perfectly
a BILE to protect themselves. One Of
hem, Mr.. Charles. p. Taft, owns a
newspaper and could strike back every
d ay if he so desired. Mr.. w. Nelson
Cromwell had an opportunity to tell
a II about this Panama business when
s enator Morgan asked him the ques-
tions. Had Senator Morgan's Repub-
lican associates on that committee half
way supported him, Cromwell would
either have been in Jail or the facts
would have been known. 1t was Crom-
wells refusal to answer, and his inso-
lence, that brought about much Of this
trouble, and caused the president these
paroxysms. The president must be
blind if he cannot see old Joe Pulitzer
smiling the broadest, sweetest smile
that willy citizen ever wore. He would
be DELIGHTED to have Congress pass a
National Libel Act. He would be
more than delighted to be the first to
be tried under it. Even now the pres
ident has given fame and advertise
N emit to Mr.. Pulitzer's newspaper, it
does not deserve and should not have.
The thin skin of the president has been
too much pricked by these charges of
Mr.. Pulitzer If there is nothing in
them the charges would have died a
natural death. Like all honest trans
actions this could have stood on its
merits. But the president has in NO
way satisfied public curiosity.
He has lost his temper and thus
spoiled his dignity. He has also
circulated the scandal, if it be such,
in one moment more than
twenty newspapers could in year, if
not in a life time. That the Demo
ocratic committee would not take hold
of the affair ought to have contented
him. Everybody has not been pleased
with the present working of the canal,
however. The report of Poultney Bige-
low made some time ago has many be-
LEVERS as to its main features. Bige-
low now DAREs THE PRESIDENT TO
SUE HIM. He declares he has never
told all he knows, and says within the
last few days, that the government has
already spent 100 millions on the canal
without thing to show for it except a
few more dents in long ditch and a
ridiculous outfit of officers quarters. 81
tell you," he says, ''this whole scandal
is bound to be exploded, and it will go
down in history as the crowning shame
of the Roosevelt administration"
MT. Taft will start in a few days to
Panama. Something extraordinary
must demand his presence there.
Could the scandal" have caused it
II so, all is not well. Surely the Pres
ident is at last making the dirt fly.