Los Angeles herald., 1908-01-13
REPUBLICAN
FLAYS PARTY
FOR MISDEEDS
ROOSEVELT AND ADVISERS
DENOUNCED
Cook of Colorado Brands Prosecution
of Innocent Men for Land Frauds
as Blot on the Admin-
istration

| By Associated Press
WASHINGTON, Jan. 12.-In a personal
4 letter which he has addressed to the
president and vice president, Speaker
Cannon and all members Of congress, the
| Justices of the supreme court, members
of the presidents cabinet and the Wash
ington newspaper correspondents, George
w. Cook, Republican congressman at
large from Colorado, severely arraigns
the administration for it's course In
prosecuting alleged infractions OF the
public land laws in Colorado.
Congressman Cook insists that great
injustice has been done to number OF
Colorados most honorable, upright and
law-abiding business men in that they
have been unnecessarily branded as
criminals through overzealousness of the
government in ordering indictments with
out securing proper evidence
He cites the recent decisions of Federal
Judge Robert e. Lewis at Denver, in
which he quashed indictments against
some thirty citizens to show that gov
ernment prosecutors were overactive In
their efforts to punish land frauds,
Calls 1t Persecution
Congressman Cooks letter follows:
my Dear Sir: | most earnestly pro-
test against the continuing high-handed.
pernicious political persecution made by
certain department bureaus of the gov
ernment in this city, branding many Of
our most honorable, upright and law
abiding business men of Colorado as
criminals.
Their only information and authority
for such malicious statements are reports
agents and prosecutors sent to Colorado,
whose accusations against innocent men
are for the sole purpose of securing per-
sonal promotion in Washington and the
opportunity for the governmental bureaus
here to disseminate among the press
throughout the country misrepresenta-
tion as to timber land and coal thieves
that do not exist in Colorado.
Judge Robert e. Lewis of the United
States district court Denver, on Decem-
ber a. 26 and 80, quashed all of the In
dictments against some thirty OF our
most worthy and reputable citizens (sev-
eral >of whom have been engaged active
ly in b 3iness in Colorado for thirty
years) on the ground that the govern
ment had absolutely failed to furnish any
evidence whatever against these men
most stinging and severe rebuke to
Judge Lewis of the United States dis
trict court ian appointee of the present
administrator.
"Active preparations were made by cer-
tain high officials in Washington for the
prosecution of these cases. They con-
tegrity before they are found guilty of
any violation of that law, or even given
an opportunity of defense.
Judge Lewis decision gives universal
satisfaction to all of our people In Colo
rado regardless of their present affilia-
tions and is indorsed by our press; in
fact. every newspaper in the state most
heartily commends Judge Lewis action"
Congressman Cook then continues:
referring to the action taken at the last
cabinet meeting of the year. December
81, as to the Colorado cases, the presi-
dent criticised the judiciary and author
lied the attorney general as follows:
"'The government will use every
means in its power to bring about in the
higher courts disapproval OF the decision
rendered in Colorado by Judge Lewis
.'Our citizens are willing and ready TO
meet the issue raised by the impulsive
administration, but as to the purpose on
the part of the latter l cannot compre-
hend, unless it is to continue in the
1imelight.' "