The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1908-12-15
49, penunciation Of the Editor
: i the New York World For
His Statements About
the Panama Canal.
INSULTS THE AMERICANS
.....velt says That he Intends to EN-
,,ov governmental Aid in En-
forcing Criminal L.
bel Action.

wAsH1NGTON, D. c., Dec. 10
:. LANGUAGE probably more emphatic
NJ deuunciatory than was ever read
.,oro in such document. President
sv, today, in a special message
. !. congress. arraigned Joseph Pulitzer,
:, tho New York World, in particular,
VA other critics of the administration
= General for their recent charges
!. IN respect to the purchase of the
panama canal.
uo characteristics the accusations as
.mrrilious libelus and false, in every
.,spntial particular, submits docu-
nentary evidence to support his con-
,sntions brand, Mr.. Pulitzer by name
i a yillifier of the American people
md declares his purpose of bringing
, governmental action for libel.
The message in part, reads as fol-
lows:
an view of the constant reiteration
H the assertion that there was some
rorrupt action by, or on behalf of The
United States government, in connec-
Aon with the acquisition of the tide
Fl the French company tc the Pan
anna canal, and of the repitiol Of the
storv that a syndicate of Americ |
& citizens owned either botr or one #
the Panama companies, deem IL wise
10 S. ~it II CO. z" ess all thu insorma-
tion have on the subject.
These stories were first brought 20
nv attention as published il a paper
in indianapolis. called the News
edited by Mr. Dalavan Reith. The
stories were scurrilious and liabelus
character and false in every essen
tial particular Mr.. Reith shelters
himself behind the excuse that he
merely accepted the statements which
hd appeared in paper published i'm
New York, "The World" owned by
gr Joseph Pulitzer.
ut is idle to say that the known
Character of Pulitzer and his news
paper are such that the statement
in that paper will be believed by no
body; unfortunately, thousands of per
sons are Uniformed in this respect
and believe the statements they see
printed, even though they appear il
q newspaper published by Mr.. Pull
liter. A member of congress ha!
actually introduced resolution II
reference to these charges. | there
lore lay all the facts before you"
Here the president recites the va
nous charges. including those agains
Charles P. Taft, brother of William Fl
Taft, and Douglass Robinson, tn
Presidents brotherin-law of parties
patton in the s60,000,O0O purchas
fund and proceeds:
These statements some times al
peared in the editorials. some time
"a the news columns, some times i
the shape of contribution from ii
oiVlduals, either unknown or know
70 De OF bad character. They ar
iase IN every particular rom begir
nlng TO end. The wickedness of tn
sanders is only surpassed by thei
ia'ulty. So utterly baseless are tn
sories mat apparently they represen
a part merely material collected fo
campaign purposes, and in part storie
Vlignally connected with a view {
poSslble blackmail The inventor {
aie story about Mr.. Charles P. Tai
VT instance, evidently supposed thu
y some period of the Panama pu
saase, Mr.. W. H. Taft was secretar
y war as where in reality. Mr.. Ia
.e'er became secretary of war Int
0ns after the whole transaction
fues'ion had been closed. The /
'eu'or OF the story about Mr.. Robi
~, J. mad not the slightest connectio
a'ecliy or Indirectly of any kind
~ Win any phase of the Panan
Aansaction, from beginning to end.
Inv, NOW these stories matter
sS'' need no investigation whateve
w shadow of proof has been or can
r y, in behalf of any of thel
ues consist only of string of i
i, n,iious llbels. In form tae, are in pa
aueis upon NJ. Taft and u. IN Mr.. Re
s'on Tor instance. But they are
wv wholly and in form partly, a lib
1pon the United States governmel
W not believe we should concern oil
ives - with the particular individus
~ wrote the lying and libelous e.
,0'iais, articles from correspondent
ARTICLES in the news columns. T
va offender is Mr.. Joseph Pulitz
WV vr,,uf and proprietor of the Wor
ME I criminal offense Of which n
=, s'ilzer is in form libel upon in
. ,h, ausls the great injury done is
: ,s''ckenlng the good name OF the Am
! Van people. 1t should not be left
private citizen to sue Mr.. Pulita
. 1,Spl1el He should be prosecuted
pe-ihe governmental authoriti
u point OF encouragement of iniqui
= point Of infamy, of wrong doll