Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-12-08
Two Newspapers Thus Engaged,
According 10 Roosevelt.
llfFln AND SMITH DENOUNCED
Editors Of New York Sun and india
napolis News Characterised as Liars
h. Preside nt-I affan Makes Pung.
ent Retort to the Excoriation.

HOT SPRINGS, VA. Dec. 6.-The
following correspondence passing DC
tween the President Roosevelt anu
William Dudley Fonlke has been
made public by the latter: o
Hot Springs. Va. Nov. 49, lsos
The President:
S:r-The Indianapolis News. not on
" during the campaign. but even al
ter It's close, has been repeatedly
and continually making serious
charges against your administrator
as we'll as against Mr.. Taft In con-
nection with the Panama purchase
as for example. the following:
The Panama Matter.
The campaign is over. ana the
peole will have to vote tomorro"
without any Official knowledge con
corning the Panama Canal deal. II
has been charged that the Unlteu
States bought from American cru.
zens for s40.0OO0OO property that
cost those citizens only $4,000. 900.
Mr.. Taft was Secretary Of War at the
time the negotiation was closed.
There is no doubt that the Govern
ment paid $4,000. 900 for the property.
Rut who got the money? We are not
to know. The Administration anu
MIR Taft do not think 1t right that
the people should know. The Presi'
dents brother-in-law is involved IN
the scandal. but he has nothing TO
cav. The candidates brother has
been charge with being member
of the syndicate. He has. 1t Is true.
denied 1t. But he refuses to appea!
to the evidence. all Of which Is IN the
possess'on OF the Administration ana
wholly inacce. .sible to outsiders. f'or
weeks this scandal has been t'efore
the people. Tho records are In WASH
tnrton and they are public records.
hut the people are not TO see them
TIL after election, II then.
Even after the election this mas
been continued. 1t being said that
Mr. Taft's "weakness" in Indiana
(whsre he ran many thousands ahead
OF any other Republican candidate)
was due in great measure to this al
legged scandal" What are the facts
in regard to it? Where the these
inaccessible records? When did
they come into the possession OF the
Government and what do they con
tain? II the statements OF the news
are true, our people ought to nave
some Just means Of estimating "ha'
credit should be given in other mat
tiers to a journal which thus dissent
mates falsehoods.
Yours.
WILLIAM DUDLEY FOULKE.
"knew II was False"
White House.
Washington. Dec. !. 1908.
NV Desr Mr.. Foulkc:
I have received your letter OF IN"
eeth u,timo, and have read Il In con
nection with your previous letters in
closing quotations from the Indian
anolis News, a paper edited by Mr..
Delayan Smith. AS Mr.. Smith GER
tainlv knew that all the statements
he made were false. both as to tn's
Panama matter and as to the other
matters Of which you inciose me
clippings. and inasmuch. therefore. as
the exposure Of the !alsity will not
afYect his future statements, am not
verv clear what good will result from
such exposure But inasmuch as you
evidently earnestly desire some
answer to be made. and inasmuch as
you say that some reputable people
appear to believe the falsehoods OF the
News and Mr. Smith. and inasmuch
rs you seem to think that his 1aise'
hoods as regards the Panama matter
are the most prominent. / will answer
them.
The News states in one OF its issues
thar probably some OF the documents
dealing with the matter have been
DESTROYED. This is false. Not one
las been DESTROYED. II states that
the last documents were sent ovel
in June Of this year. the object o.
this particular faisahood being, ap
parently. to connect the matter In
some way with the negotiation OF Mr.
TAN. As a matter Of fact. the las
papers that we have received Of an!
kind we're sent over 20 Us In May o