The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-12-07

Hot springs Na.s Dec. o-Ane tolioW- ing correspondence passing between President Roosevelt and William Dud- ley Foulks,, has been made public by the latter:
 Hot Springs. Va, Nov. 2e. 1908. .'Ths President:
 "Sir-The Indianapolis News not only during the campaign, but even after it's close, has been repeatedly and con- tinually making serious charges against your administration as we'll as against Mir. Taft in connection with the Panama purchase, as for example, the follow ing:
 The Panama matter.
 "eThe campaign is over and the peo- pie will have to vote tomorrow without any official Knowledge concerning the Panama Canal deal. It has been charg- ed that the United States bought from American citizens for $4O.000,0OO, prop erty that cost those citizens only S12,- 100000 MT Taft was Secretary of War at the time the negotiation was closed. There is no doubt that the government paid $40 900 ,000 for the property. But who got the money? We are not to know. The administration and MT. Taft do not think 1t right that the peo- pie should know. The Presidents pro- tber-in-iaw is involved in the scan- daI. but he has nothing to say. The candidates brother has been charged with being a member of the syndicate. He has, 1t Is true, denied it. But he re- fuses to appeal to the evidence, all of which is in the possession of the ad- ministration and wholly inaccessible to outsiders For weeks. this scandal has been before the people. The records are in Washington and they are public rec. ords, but the people are not to see them until after election. if then
 gwen after election this has been continued It having been said that Mr. Taft's weakness in Indiana Che ran many thousands ahead of any other Re- publican candidate) was due in great measure to this alleged scandal What are the facts in regard to 1t? Where are these Inaccessible records? When did they come into the possession or the government and what do they contafnT If the statements of The News are true, our people ought to know it, IT not true they ought to have some just means Of estimating what credit should be given in other matters to a journal which thus disseminates falsehoods.
 ''Yours.
 ''william Dudley Foulke."
 White House.
 washington. D. C.. Dec. 1. 19Os' 'eMy Dear Mir. Foulke:
 "I have received your letter of the  fton with your previous letters inclos- ing quotations from The Indianapolis News a uaper edited by MT. Delavan Smith. As MT. Smith certainly knew that all the statements he made were false both as to this Panama matter and as to the other matters or which won enclose me clippings, and inasmuch' $herefora aa that exposure of the fal- sitv will not affect his future state ments. I am not very clear what good will result from such exposure. But ln- asmuch as you evidently earnestly oe- sira some answer to be nade' anu mas much as you say that some reputable people appear to believe the taIsenoooS nT The News and Mir. Smith, and inas- s,s,,cb as you seem to think that his TaIsahoods as regards the Panama mat tsr arc the most prominent, l will an- swer them.
 No Recommends Destroyed.
 s'The News states in one or us ls- sues that probably some or the oocu- ments dealing with the mater hS been destroyed This is false Not one has been destroyed. It states that inc last documents were sent over in June of this year, the object of this particular falsehood being, apparently to connect the matter in some way with the nomination of MT. Taft. AS A matter of fact. the last papers that
  sent over to us in May of 1904. and thev have been accessible to every hu- man being who cared to look at them aver since, and are accessible now. Anv reputable man within or without Congress, Republican or Democrat, has now and always had the opportunity, +o examine any of these documents. You quote The News as statlns tnat stha people have no official knowledge concerninR the Panama canal deal Tine fact is that the people have had the most minute official knowledge; that every important step in the trans action and every important document has been made public in communica- l tions to Congress and through the daily press and the whole matter has been thrashed over in all It's, details 1 again and again and again. The Tbe News gives currency to the l charge that the United States bought | from American citizens for $40,000,0O | property that cost those citizens only l SIP, ,O00, ,O00.' The statement Is false. | Tha limited States did not pay a cent | of the S40,0o0,000 to any American | citizen. The News says that there is no doubt that the government paid $40. 900 900 for the property and con | tinues: But who got the money? We are not to know. The administration | and MT Taft do not think 1t right that | the people should know Really this | is so ludicrous as to make one feel | a little impatient at having to answer | it. The fact has been officially pub lished again and again that the gov ernment paid s4o.OoO.o00 and that is | paid this $4O000,00O direct to the | French government, getting the re- ceipt for the llquidator appointed | by the French government to | receive the same. The United | States government has not the slight | est knowledge as to the particular in- l divlduals among whom the French | government distributed the sum. This | was the business of the French gov ernnent The mere supposition that | any American received from the | French government 6 rake off' is too | absurd to be discussed. It is an ! ar....A-.i.l. anInnhnna and ia Ia A alan-