Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-12-16
MorId,a Defiant Retort.

In the course OF us answer 10 RVS
ident RoOsevelts references to that
paper in his special message to Con-
gress today. says:
MIR. Roosevelt is mistaken, he can
! not muzZle the World.
while no amount Of billingsgate
! on his part can alter our determine
ton to treat him with judicial lin
Partially and scrupulous fairness. we
| repeat what We have already said.
that the Congress of the United
States should make a thorough inves-
tigation OF the provision for the whole
Panama transaction: that the full
truth may be known to tn" American
people.
The World fully appreciates the
compliment paid to it by Mr.. RooSc
welt In making it the subject OF
special message to the Congress OF
the United States
Appreciates the Distinction.
The World likewise appreciates
the Importance OF Mr.. Roosevelts
statement when he declares to Con-
gress that the proprietor Of the
World should be prosecuted for libel
by the governmental authorities and
that the attorney general has under
consideration the form under which
the proceedings against Mr.. Pulitzer
shall be brought
This is the first time a President
ever asserted the doctrine of les ma
jeste. or proposed in the absence OF
specific legislation. the criminal
prosecution by the government Of citi-
hr ,ot nf h,.
government or the conduct Of indi-
viduals who may have had business
dealings with the government.
Kings Would Not Dare.
Neither the king Of Great Britain
nor the German emperor would VEN
ture to arrogate sucn power to HIM
self, John Adams attempt to enforce
the sedition law destroyed the Fed
eralist party in America. Yet Mr..
Roosevelt. in the absence OF law. Off
cially proposes to use all the power
Of the greatest government on earth
to cripple the freedom Of tn press
on the pretext that the government
itself has been libelled--and he is the
government
ut is true that the World printed
the public reports concerning the
Panama canal affair which resulted
from William Nelson Cromwelrs ap-
peal to the district attorneys Office
during the recent campaign to pre-
vent the publication of a story which
was said to be in the hands Of the
Democratic national committee.
1T was Mr.. Cromwells own action
Toe, 40 <sar MI
paign.
~ This be Treason"
ut Is true also that when Mr..
Roosevelt made his attack upon Della
van Smith. the World called atten-
ton to certain statements Mr.. Roose-
welt must have known to be false
or misleading, and appealed to Con-
gress 10 end all scandal by full and
impartial investigation. IL this be
treason let Mr.. Roosevelt make the
most OF it,
Mr.. RoOSevelt's lamentable habit
OF inaccurate statements makes Ii
impossible to accept e.,her his judge
ments or his conclusions. In his mes
sage he does not state correctly even
SO simple matter as the pretended
causes OF his grievance. The World
has never said that Charles p. Taft
or Douglas Robinson made any profits
whatever Mr.. Taft denied that he
was concerned IN the transaction in
any way. which denial The World
published and accs pied
Would Have Printed Denial.
1T would have been equally glad
to print Mr. Robinson's denial could
1t have succeeded in obtaining one
from him, as It frequently attempted.
The World has no evidence that he
was associated with Mr. Cromwell.
and would accept his word TO that
effect: for Mr. Robinson is an estima-
bic gentleman. OF high character.
whose reputation for veracity Is in
fin'tely better than that Of his dis
tinguished brother-in-lsw.
II the World has libelled anybody.
We hope It will be punished. but We
do not intend to be intimidated by
Mr.. Roosevelt's threats or BY Mr..
Roosevet's denuncia,iop. or by Mr..
Roosevelt's power.
"Unscrupuieus Demaso9ue."
NO other living man ever 30 gross
~ libelled the United States as does
this President who besmirchcs Con-
Sress. bulldozes judges. asssils the
integrity Of courts. ISLANDERS private
citizens and who has shown himself
the most reckless INSCRIPTIONS dem
aeogue whom the American people
ever trusted with great power and
authority.
We say this not in anger. but In
sincere sorrow. The World has i'm
measurably more respect for the Of
nee OF President 81 the United States
than Theodore Roosevelt has ever
shown during the years in which he
has maintained a reign OF terror and
vilifei ;he honor and honesty Of both
public oficiais and private citizens
n ha ntan0ScA his roiiciGs a ihXa Led