Milford chronicle. [volume] (Milford, Del.) 1878-1974, 1908-12-18
VICIOUS ATTACK
ON PRESIDENT
New York World Answers His
Panama Message.
QUESTIONS HIS YERAG!TY

Declares He Cannot Muzzle the World
and Raises the Cry Of Les Majesty.
Says the President Grossly Ii
bells the United states, Resmirehes
Congress, 5ulldozes Judges and As
sails the Integrity Of the Courts.
New York. Dec. 16-The World, in
the course Of its answer to President
Roossvelts references to that paper
IN his special message to congress,
says:
MIR. Roosevelt is mistaken. He can
rot muzzle the World.
y while no amount OF billingsgate on
hts-FSrt can alter our determination
80 treat him with judicial impartiality
e and scrupulous fairness, we repeat
what we have already said, that the
IT congress Of the United States should
. u make a thorough investigation Of the
.bWhole Panama transaction. that the
ull truth may be known to the Ameri-
! yysSSan people
THE World likewise appreciates
Abe Importance and significance Of Mr..
Roosevelt's statement when he de-
elarss to congress that the proprietor
Of the World should be prosecuted for
libel by the governmental authorities
and that the attorney general has un-
der consideration the form under
which the proceedings against Mr.. Pu-
liter shall be brought
This is the first time a president |
ever asserted the doctrine of lese ma
l.. 81
specific legislation. the criminal pros !
ecutiOn by the government of citizens |
who criticised the conduct of the gov
eminent or the conduct of individuals
who may have had business dealings !
with the government. Yet Mr.. Roose-
welt, in the absence OF law, officially
proposes to use all the power of the
greatest government on earth to Grip
pie the freedom of the press on the
preteXt that the government itself has =
been libelled-and he is the govern
ment
= 1T is true that the World printed
the public reports concerning the Pan
anna canal affair which resulted from
\ William Nelson Cromwell's appeal to
the district attorneys Office during the
recent campaign to prevent the publ
cation Of a story which was said to be
IAN the hands of the Democratic ma
4, Apal committee. It was Mr. Crom-
wells own action which raised the is
sue in the campaign
"The World has never said that ,
Charles P. Taft OF Douglas Robinson
made any profits whatever. Mr. Taft
! denied that he was concerned in the
transaction in any way which denial I
the World published and accepted. It
would have been equally glad to print {
Mr.. RobinsOn's denial could it have 4
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. Robin {
son is an estimable gentleman of high c
character. whose reputation for verac- o
ity is infinitely better than that OF his
distinguished brother-inlaw Fl
III the World has libelled anybody II
Ee hope it will be punished but we do :,
bot intend to be intimidated by Mr. :
i foosevelt's threats or by Mr. Roose- u
Veit's denunciation or by Mr.. ROose- d
velt's power Il
mo other living man ever so grossly
libelled the United States as does this
president who besmirches congress.
bulldozes judges. assails the integrity
OF courts ISLANDERS private citizens. m
and who has shown himself the most B
reckless. INSCRIPTIONS demagogue ia
whom the American people ever trust nj
J ed with great power and authority" n,