The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1908-12-08
SEEK PROBE
|. OF FCANADEAL
New York World Calls Upon
Congress
ALLEGED SCANDAL REVIVED
GOTHAM NEWSPAPER CALLS
RoosEvELT's ATTACK UPON
IND. EDITOR AS scANpALous
AND ASKS FOR IMMEDIATE
PROBE OF PANAMA CANAL.

New York, Dec. s.--The New York
World. to which Delaven Smith, edi-
tor Of the indianapolis News, referred
in his reply to President Roosevelt's
attack upon him as authority for the
article on the Panama canal which
appeared In his paper and called forth
the presidents letter. says today:
I'm view of President Roosevelt'S
deliberate misstatements OF the facts
In his scandalous personal attack upon
Delavan Smith, editor of The Indian
apolis News, The World calls upon the
congress OF the United States to make
immediately full and impartial inves-
tigation of the entire Panama canal
scandal
investigation of 1908.
The investigation of 1906 by the. sen-
ate committee. of inter-oceanic canals
was blocked by the refusal of William
Nelson Cromwell to answer the most
pertinent questions OF Senator Morgan
of Alabama Since that time nothing
has been done because after Senator
Morgan's death there was no success
sor to carry on his great work of re-
vealing the truth about the Panama
corruption.
The World quotes the indianapolis
News editorial on Roosevelts letter.
The News editorial quotes the answer
of Roosevelt to the charges that an
| American syndicate prohted by the
purchase OF the Panama canal strip
by the United States government.
The News editorial quotes Roose-
welt as saying the United States gov
ernment had not the slightest know
Hedge as to the individuals to whom
the French government distributed the
money; that so far as known there
was no syndicate in the United States
which had a dealing with the govern
! ment directly or indirectly.
Teddy's Statements False.
| The World says that the statements
4 made by Roosevelt are slrtrue and
fthat he knew they were untrue when
! he made them. The world says only
| william Nelson Cromwell knows the
detailed distribution OF Panama loot
and the two men most in Cromwell's
confidence were Roosevelt and Elihu
1 Root.
The World charges that they aided
Cromwell in communicating the Pana-
ma deal and arranged the terms OF
payment OF $40,000,000 for the canal
property and an additional $10,00o,00O
for manufactured Panama republic
which sums were paid by check on the
| United States treasury TO ]. Pieryont
Morgan & Co., and to the French gov
ernment, as Roosevelt says.
The World further says that the
inquiry Of The indianapolis News,
| "Who got the money!" was originally
The Worlds and The World accepts
Roosevelt's challenge.
History Of the Canal Deal.
The World gives the history OF the
Panama canal deal, brought out by the
late Senator Morgan at the congress
sional inquiry into Panama affairs and
asks: @
''why did the United States pay
$40, 900, 900 for bankrupt property
whose control could undoubtedly have
been bought in open market for less
than $4,000, ,000?'
"who were the Panama Canal Co. p
"Who bought UP the obligations OF
the old Panama Canal Co. for a few
4 cents on the dollar?"
! Among whom was divided the $15,-
900, 900 paid to the New Panama Canal
co. 2"
whether Douglas Robinson, who is
Roosevelts> brother in law, or any OF
lTaft's brothers associated himself
with Cromwell In the Panama exploit
alton or shared in these profits is in
cidental to the main issue OF letting
in the light"
Inquiry 10 imperative.
whether they did or not. whether
i all the profits went into Nelson Crom-
wells hands or whatever became OF
Rthenl, the fact that Theodore Roose-
lvelt as president of the United States
tissues a public statement about such
an Important matter full OF fragrant
Iuntruths, reeking with misstatements
Echallenging line by line the testimony
of his associate, Cromwell, and his
official record. makes 1t imperative
that full publicity come at once
Through the authority and by the ac-
tion Of congress"