Devils Lake inter-ocean and Devils Lake free press. (Devils Lake, Ramsey County, N.D.) 1905-1909, 1908-12-25
BRANDS STORIES FAILS;
Says Newspaper Charges: Arc
Infamous ubels.
EDITOR d 10 BE PROSECUTED.
Attorney Genera. |! Considering
=. Form Of Procedure. '''... =. ! :.

Altuin55 uGsl5ldl II GUitSluEftllE
/; ... 80 Form Of Procedure: e.. '''''. -.
Washington, Dec. 15.-President
Roosevelt today transmitted to con.
gressaa special message regarding the
charges published by certain newspa
pers that several Americans profited
by the purchase of the property Of the
Panama Canal company of France.
The text Of the message follows: =
Special Message to the Senate and
House of Representatives = ,3.: .,
In view Of the constant reiteration
Of the assertion that there was some
corrupt action by or on behalf of the
United States government in connec-
tion with the acquisition of the title
of the French, company to the Pan
anna canal, and Of the repetition Of the
story that q syndicate of American
citizens: owned either one or both of
the: Panama companies, I deem it wise
to submit to the congress all the III
fornlation%I have on the subject. These
stories were first brought to my at.
tention as, published IN paper in IN
dianapolis, called the News, edited by
Mr.. Delayan Smith. The stories were
scurrilous and Hbelous III character
and false in every essential parttcu-
lar Mr.. Smith shelters himself be-
hind. the excuse that he merely ac-
cepted the statements which had ap-
peared in "a paper published in New
: i York the Norld, y owned by #: Jos
p eph Pulitzer. s : ss$ ~. =:
1t is idle, to say that, the known
character Of Mr.. Pulitzer and his
newspaper are such that the state
ments In, that paper will be believed
by nobody; unfortunately, thousands
Of persons are Ill informed in this
respect and believe the statements
they see in print, even though they
appear in q newspaper published by
Mr.. Pulitzer. A. member of the CON
gress has actually introduced a reso-
lutionS in reference: ( to these charges
and ]: therefore lay all the facts be,
fore you. 81 !. sl}~.: Il 81,
n Sums Up Newspaper Charges Z:
4 = The story repeated at various
times by the World and by its fol
lowers In the newspaper press is sub
stantially as follows That there
was corrupeio nSby or on behalf or tbs
government Of the United States in
the transaction by which the Panama
canal property was acquired from its
French owners; that there were i'm
/ proper dealings of some, kind Be
Il tween agents of the government and,
outside persons, repre- senting or act
i ing Tor an American syn dictate which
i had gotten possession OF the French
company; that among these persons,
who, was alleged, mad huge
I profits, z, were Mr. Charles T, Taft, a
brother OF Mr.. liam III Taft, then
candidate for the presidency, and Mr..
Il Douglas Robinson I'll my brother-in-law;
II that Mr.. Cromwell, the counsel for
Il the Panama Canal company in the
citations, wal In some way impli-
Gated with the United States govern:
ment authorit ties Id these important
transactions that the AZ government
has concealed the true facts and has
destroy red or procured ZOE agreed to-
. the destruction OF, certain aocnmen Y
/: that MT. s. III at ran secretary BIZ
WE at the time 8 that by an agree.
.5snent SbetWee the United ttatesf gov
eminent and the benefieiaries Of the
deal All traces thereof were iped
d out by transferring all the archives
and secrets to the y American govern
nent just before the holding of the
i conyentio last June and lit which.
u Mr. Taft was nom mated The state
Ssnnents sometimes 4. appeared fiji edi.,
\ toriaIs. sometimes In the news col.
& nlnns. sometimes in the shape Or con
tributions from ind Fidua1s either uns
n known of or known to- he OF bad cl,ass
acter. They are fall esin every partic-
ular from beginning Ito enc. he
B wickedness OF ~ the ISLANDERS is only
.Sssi1rpa ssed by heir atuity. 53ss
Brands Stories litter zRaseleas.
5$5Ss SO utterly baseiess are the stories
that pparently they repre- sents IN part
merely nlaterial col Ieeted for cam,
8 ign psrrI poses and iin part stories
B originally con octed view Of
4 possible black mai
inventor NJ tho sstorS about aafrs
Charles q aft. inst anee avid lent
supposed that ata some period OF
the Panama l,,irch se i. t
aRs:s445 III
kTeaIity. III w aft never became.
Saecratary of until long after the
whoIe transacti pil ID question had