The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-12-15
The President Himself Made an
Investigation
To Find Out "WhO Got the Mon
ey" in Canal Deal.
WHOLE TRANSACTION
Is Found to Be Gas Clean as a
Hounds TOOth.''
Information Gained Was Made
Basis of His Message.

Washington, D. C., Dec 15-President
Roosevelt's special message, sent in
these dispatches tells clearly and point
edly who got the money" which the
United States paid for the Panama ca
nal He has the full information in his
possession. in the shape of certified
copies of the records of the new Pan
anna canal companies, taken from the
books in Paris for William Nelson
Cromwell, the attorney for the COM
pany, who negotiated the sale to this
country. Cromwell got $220,O0O for his
work His fee was passed upon by
the French court.
With this information the president
submits caustic remarks concerning the
New York World and what it has said
repeatedly about his part in the pur-
chase of the canal.
No American Stockholders.
The information in the presidents
possession shows that no Americans
were concerned in the purchase of the
canal property by this government.
long list of stockholders of the New
Panama Canal company. There are,
however, the names of certain banks
which received some money in the final
liquidation of the company's affairs.
1t is, of course, possible that Ameri-
cans might have been interested in the
money thus paid to banks by the hqul-
dators, but the total sum so distributed
was so small that even if Americans
We're the ultimate receivers of it they
did not profit much by their transac-
ton.
No Speculation in panama"
It is made certain by this information
that there was no general speculation
on a large scale by Americans in the
shares of the new Panama canal 1t
was concerning only the shares of this
company that any allegation or insin-
uation of such speculation by Ameri-
cans has been made. There was never
any such question regarding the shares
of the old Panama Canal company,
which were distributed among many
holders.
In the course of the investigation
made by the New York Times last week
concerning the papers bearing on the
canal purchase now in the possession Oh
the war state and Justice departments
here, it was found that there was moth
ing to show what final distribution was
made of the money paid to the French
companies.
RooseveIt's Vigorous and Successful
Search.
Thereupon President Roosevelt Wig
orously undertook to secure such infOr-
nation. He had exhaustive searches
made in the files of the departments,
and cabled to the isthmus to ascertain
if anything among the papers of the
disclose the facts he sought. He also
called on Senator Knox. who, as attor-
ney general at the time of the canal
purchase, conducted the proceedings
leading to the formal transfer of the
property, after having made thorough
examination of the title of the French
companies to it, and their power to dis
pose of it.
Cromwell Sent the Papers.
Senator Knox replied that the govern
anything which would show the facts
desired by the president He himself
had not considered it necessary to Sc
cure such information. I'VE bought the
property-not the company" said Sem |
ator Knox, "and therefore we never had
the stock ledgers or transfer books or
even a list of the stockholde The |
publication of the fact that the preSl- |
dent was making such an investigation
brought it to the notice of William Nell
son Cromwell in New York and he sent |
one Of his confidential men to Washing
ton with all the papers, which were
duly delivered to the president last |
week
.4Clean as Hounds TOOTH
Since then the papers have been ex-
amined carefully by several officials of
the administration, including secretary |
Root and the solicitor general of the |
department of justice, Mr.. Hoyt. They |
show, as has been said, that the 40 |
million dollars paid by the United |
States for the canal property went al |
most entirely to French citizens. In |
the language of an administration |
official who has examined the docu- |
ments they demonstrate that the whole |
transaction "was as clean as hounds |
tooth"
There have been numerous confer |
ences at the White House since the |
papers were placed in the hands of /
the president and several senators and !
representatives in the confidence of the ,
White House were informed of what /
was coming. 1t was this circumstance |
which gave rise in the last few days to |
the several rumors that the president |
was preparing a message on the sub |
ject of the canal purchase. He has |
been preparing such a message, but it |
was not guessed by the rumor mongers |
that it would contain the sort of in
formation which it will deliver to con-
gress
Roosevelt Gets Quick Returns
The president was very much elated |
at obtaining the information. especial
" at time when the publication of
his letter to William Dudley Foulke /
regarding the insinuationS of the New
York World and the indianapolis |
News had given rise to such a gen
eral demand for an investigation by |
congress aimed at disclosing the very |
Information he now will make public. |
other newspapers for an official inveS-
tigation by congress has kept the |
presidents anger at them from cooling
down, and that accounts in part for /
the compliments which he pays the |
New York World in the special mes
sage.