The Cairo bulletin., 1908-12-07

Hot Springs, Va, Dec G.--The fol
lowing correspondence between Pres
ident Roosevelt and William Dudley
Foulke was made public today by let.
ter:
Hot Springs, Va, Nov 20. 1908
The President; Sir-The Indian
apolis News, during the campaign and
even after the close of it, was continu.
ally making serious charges against
your administration as well as against
Taft in connection with the Panama
purchase, as for example:
The Panama Matter.
The campaign is over, and the peo
pie viii have to vote tomorrow with
out official knowledge concerning the
Panama canal deal 1t has been
charged that the United States
bough from certain American citi.
zens for s40.000.O6O property that cost
those citizens only $12,000,000.
TAFT was secretary of war at the
time the negotiation was closed
There is now no doubt that the
government paid s40,0O0,OOO for the
properly. But who got the money?
We are not to know. The admins
tration and Taft don't think 1t right
hat the people should know. The
presidents brother-in-law is involved
in the scandal, but he has nothing to
say. The candidates brother Is
charged with being a member of the
syndicate. He has, ii is true, denied
1t, but he refuses to appeal to evi.
dence, all of which is in the posses.
sion of the administration and wholly
inacce ssible to outsiders. For weeks
this scandal has been before the peo.
pie The records are in Washington
and they are public records, but the
people are not to see them till after
cle election. if then"
II the statements of the News Is
true the people should know IL; If not
true, they ought to use II as a means |
of estimating what credit should be
given in other matters TO a journal |
which thus disseminates falschoods
Yours,
WILLIAM DUDLEY FOULKE
Presidents Letter.
White House. Washington. Dec. I,
1908
My Dear Mr.. Foukc:
Il have received your letter of Tho
29th and read II in connection with
your previous letters inclosing quota.
tions from the indianapolis News,
edited by DeLaven Smith As Smith
certainly knew that all the statements
he made were false. both as TO the
Panama matter and as to oth-r mat
tiers of which you enclose me clip.
pings, and inasmuch therefore. as the
exposure of falsity will not affect his
future statements, I am not very clear
what good will result from such ex-
posure But as you evidently earn
estly desire that some answer be
made. will answer them
THE News states that probably
some documents dealing with the
matter have been destroyed. This Is
false. Not one has been destroyed.
II states that the last documents were
ever in June this year. the object of
This particular falsehood being. ap-
parenty. to connect the matter In
some way with the nomination of
Mr. Tif,. As a matter of fact the
last papers received of any kind were
sent over in May 1904. and they have
ben accessible TO every human be
ing. aud are accessible now. ANY
man. Republican or Demo.
crat, has now, and always has had. an
10 examine any of these
locum snts. The News gives currency
10 the charge that the United States
bought from certain American citi
sens for s40.0OO0O0 property that cost
ihese citizens only 100000 The
stateei1nt is false. The United States
lid net pay a cent Of $40 ZOO, 900 TO /.
any american citizen The News
ssys there is 10 doubt that the GOT
srnme1t paid $4,000. GOO for the prop
srty. and continues. but who got the
money? We are not 70 know. The
administration and Tsff don't think
Z right that the people should know.
-eaIly this is so ludricuOus as to make
ne feel impatient at having 70 an :
Inswer IT, The fact has beeH officially :,
,ublished again and again that the
,overT meBt paid s40oo0 90. and that :
{ paid this t40.090.Og9 direct to the
Trench government. getting a receipt
Il the HnniIatnr aII.ainI..I IN thnl