Morris tribune., 1908-12-19
President Sends Hot Message
10 Congress.
PURCHASE OF PANAMA CANAL
Executive Brands the Newspaper
Charges as False.


pers that several Americans profitet
by the purchase of the property of the
Panama Canal company of France
The message, in part, follows:
In view of the constant reiteration
of the assertion that there was some
corrupt action by or on behalf of the
United States government in connec
tion with the acquisition of the title
of the French company to the Pan
anna canal, and of the repetition of the
story that a syndicate of American
citizens owned either one or both OF
the Panama companies, deem it wise
to submit to the congress all the in
formation have on the subject. These
stories were first brought to my at
tention as published in paper in In
dianapolis, called the News, edited by
Mr.. Delavan Smith. The stories were
scurrilous and libelouS in character
and false in every essential particu-
lar. Mr.. Smith shelters himself be-
hind the excuse that he merely ac-
cepted the statements which had ap-
peared in paper published in New
York, the World, owned by Mr.. JOS.
eph Pulitzer.
1t is idle to say that the known
character of Mr.. Pulitzer and his
newspaper are such that the state
ments in that paper will be believed
by nobody; unfortunately, thousands
of persons are i'll informed in this
respect and believe the statements
they see in print, even though they
appear in a newspaper published by
Mr.. Pulitzer. A member of the con-
gress has actually introduced reso-
luton in reference to these charges
and I therefore lay all the facts be-
fore you.
Sums Up Newspaper Charges.
The story repeated at various
times by the World and by it's fol-
lowers in the newspaper press is sub
as follows: That there
was corruption by or on behalf of the
government of the United States in
the transaction by which the Panama
canal property was acquired from it's
French owners; that there were i'm
proper dealings of some kind be-
tween agents of the government and
outside persons, representing or act
ing for an American syndicate which
had gotten possession of the French
company: that among these persons,
who it was alleged, made huge
profits" were Mr.. Charles P Taft,
brother of Mr.. William H. Taft, then
candidate for the presidency, and Mr..
Douglas Robinson, my brother-in-law:
hat Mr. Cromwell, the counsel for
he Panama Canal company in the |
was in some way impli- |
lated with the United States govern
nent authorities in these important |
that the government /
las concealed the true facts and has I
destroyed, or procured or agreed to I
he destruction of, certain documents;
hat MIR. w. II. Taft was secretary of |
var at the time; that by an agree
nent between the United States gov I
and the beneficiaries of the
leal all traces thereof were wiped
ut" by transferring all the archives
md secrets to the American govern
nent just before the holding of the !
last June and at which
nents are false in every partic-
lar from beginning to end. The
of the ISLANDERS is only
by their faulty.
String Of Infamous Libels.
Now, these stories, as matter of
act. need no investigation whatever.
10 shadow of proof has been, or can
e, produced on behalf of any of them.
hey consist simply of string of in
amous libels. In form they are in
art libels upon individuals, upon Mr.
aft and Mr.. Robinson for instance.
ut they are in fact wholly and in
,rm partly libel upon the United
tates government. | do not believe
e should concern ourselves with the
articular individuals who wrote tho
ing and libelous editorials, articles
'om correspondents, or articles in
lie news columns. The real offender
Mr.. Joseph Pulitzer, editor and
roprietor of the World. While the
'ininal offense of which Mr. Pulitzer
rs been guilty is in form a libel upon |
dividuals the great injury done is in
Iackening the good name of the
merican people; it should not be left
the private citizen to sue Mr.. Pulit-
II for libel. He should be prose-
tied for libel by the government au-
critics. In point of encouragement
iniquity, in point of infamy, of
rong doing, there is nothing to / |
loose between public servant who $
,trays his trust, public servant t
no is guilty of blackmail, OF theft. '
financial dishonesty of any kind, {
ID man guilty as Mr.. Joseph Pu- {
ger has been guilty in this instance. &
is therefore high national duty to r
ing to justice this villifer of the
hole American people and the at
rney general has under considera-
IN the form In which the proceed S
gs against Mr. Pulitzer shall be O
ought t
The president then details at length
ansactions In connection with the d