The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-12-17
NOT AWED BY MIR. ROOSEVELT Indianapolis News on Message. SAYS 'VUTBREAK" IS PITFUL
 e-% Conduct of President Humiliates
 the Country. Paper Declare. rhst Rsnarkssls Ez- hibttion by wAits Houss oeca- pant Is Evidence That Invss-
 tigatfsn is Needed.
 
SAYS 'soUTBREAK" IS PITEUL

I
 Indianapolis, Dec. ls--under ths
 caption of Panama once More" The
 Indianapolis News, mentioned ln the special message on the Panama canal deal, sent to Congress yesterday by 1 President Roosevelt, today issued re- ply 10 the chief executive. If sayss
 Tt is difficult to characterize Ally the latest outbreak of the President | without resorting to the use of lan- l guage as undignined and biameworthy as that which puts the Presidentss ut terances in a class by Itself in the ofEi-
 eial literature in the high otice which he holds.
 Whatever provocation Mir. Roosevelt may have felt pricking his soul. noth- Ing could justify or much extenuate I the torrent of invective and vfrulence which he poured out In a state paper l upon the head of private citizens. No | one In his sober senses can fail to re- i gard the performance as a grave dero- | gation to the dignity of the presIden~ l tiai station. e pitiable exhibition of
 towering rage on the part of the chief magistrate and a source of Humiliation
 and ehagrin to the entire country. Tt is quite impossible to think of
 any of Mir. Roosevelt's long line of dis | tingulshed predecessors that could pos
 slbly have SO forgotten the dignitiea and deceneies of his exalted petition
 as to transmit to Congrees a message
 in any way comparable with thAt 0e yesterday.
 pronunciation and bitterness of speech are no explanation and no an- swer. An assumption that The New
 York World and it's proprietor were influenced by base or unworthy mo- tives in the publication of the reports touching the Panama affair cannot ba
 justified. no matter who may De tha salss saefaF q Et gs4o n lr nm
 .srhe World has estahltshad a repu- l tation In recent years for devotion to 1 the best interests of the people which l is quite as good Ps that of any Of khe I great metropolitan paperA uudoubt- l edly it had what it honestly considered 1 everything had not been ag t should hAvs been in the acquisition by this conntry of the Panama canal intsrsntB from their former owners A paper like The World may be deceived Of course. even though 1t take all poasi- ble precautions against such contin- Rency. but tt does not print charges og suspicious affecting public men and governmental actions, out of malice aud wickedness and superhuity of naughtfneas Self-interest. ifan0 high CT motive, would prevent such conduct. But the owners and editors of the great papefs of the country are men OF GuAFAGtDSs 1F0 pANEAO&AGt CAAAASA1. Af1 men that feel 6 sense of responssblIitv in their relations to the puhlic--go deal
 with 1t honentiy and in good faith.
 Whether Mir. Roosevelt knows tt or not, ruInors and reports touching the Panama transaction have been numer- ons anc persistent Tn spite Of all hts asserverations. people are stilI not convinced that everything was as it should have been, this without in the least tinpugntng the good faith of the President or his agent In the negotfa- tIons. Still many points have not been cleared up to the sattsfaction of the country and they cannot be cleared up by threats of libel suits and pen-laah- ings Of editors that hold the good name and the interests Of the country quite as dear aB does the President.
 Tt Is highly significant that the members of Congress listened to the Presidents message yesterday at Arsk with amazed wonder and then as it's exaggerated quality was perceived. with amusement.
 we are of tho opinion thas the Ratney resolution should be adopted and that Congress should make a r searching investigation of all the facts, circumstances and rumors con nected with the Panama activities of the government. We are sure every- one win reJoice--none more so than the unawed newspapers of the country If 1t shall be proved that there was no basis in fact for any Eubstantiaf criticism either of the govsrnment or of private American citizens In con- nAefgOu with Nha