The new era., 1908-12-31
PRESIDENTS STATEMENT IN RE.
GARD TO CANAL ISLANDERS
RECEIVED AS A JOKE.
DENOUNCES PULITZER
DEFENDS THE GOVERNMENT BUT
FEARS SOME WILL BELIEVE
BASELESS LIES.

Washington.-Rep peals Of
laughter created the reading of the
opening paragraph of President Roose-
velt's message to Congress on the
Panama canal charges Tuesday. AS
the secretary read the statement that
the charges were false in every par
ticular," Senator Bailey laughed out
right Other senators on both sides
of the chamber joined with him, and
when the reader reached the state
ment that a statement in newspaper
which he mentioned would not be be-
lieved, there was general merriment.
There was only small number OF
senators present when the reading
was begun and was hurried through,
the papers accompanying the message
not being read at all.
The message ELECTED the greatest
interest in the House. The men,
bers gave close attention during the
reading of the document and there was
a ripple of laughter over the Presi-
dents characterization of Joseph
Pulitzer, publisher of the New York
World. The message with it's accom-
panying papers was referred to COM
mittee.
President Roosevelt's statement con-
corning the purchase of the Panama
canal property by the United States
denounces in strong language charges
that there was anything wrong in the
acquisition by the United States of the
canal property.
"These stories," he continues, were
first brought to my attention as pub
lished in a paper in Indianapolis called
the News edited by Mr.. Delevan
Smith. The stories were scurrilous
and libelous in character and false in
every essential particular. Mr.. Smith
shelters himself behind the excuse
that he merely accepted the state
ments which had appeared in paper
published in New York, The World,
owned by Mr.. Joseph Pulitzer 1t is
idle to say that the known character
of Mr.. Pulitzer and his newspaper are
such that the statements in that paper
will be believed by nobody; unfortun-
ately, thousands of persons are ill
informed in this respect and believe
the statements they see printed, even
though they appear in newspaper
published by Mr. Pulitzer.
Now these stories as matter of
fact, need no investigation whatever.
No shadow of proof has been, or can be
produced in behalf of any of them.
They consist mainly of a string Of infa-
nous libels. In form they are partly Ii
bells upon individuals, upon Mr.. Taft and
Mr.. Robinson for instance, but they
are in fact waolly and in form partly,
a libel upon the United States gov
ernment | do not believe we should
concern ourselves with the particular
individuals who wrote the lying and
libeling editorials articles from cor
respondents, or articles in the news
columns The real offender is MIR.
Joseph Pulitzer, editor and proprietor
of the World While the criminal of
fense of which Mr.. Pulitzer has been
guilty is in fo-m libel upon individ-
uals, the great injury done is in black
ening the good name of the American
p'SPiS.
st should not be left to a private
citizen to sue Mr.. Pulitzer for libel
He should be prosecuted for libel by
the governmental authorities. IN point
of encouragement of iniquity, in point
of infamy, of wrongdoing, there is
nothing to choose between a public
servant who betrays his trust, a pub
lie servant who is guilty of blackmail
or theft, or financial dishonesty OF
any kind and a man guilty as Mr.. JOS
eph Pulitzer has been guilty in this
instance.
1.-THE attorney general has under
consideration the form under which
the proceedings against Mr.. Pulitzer
shall be brought