The San Francisco call., 1908-12-16
New York World Comments on
Presidents Message Regard
ing Panama Canal Deal
Paper Objects TO Alleged At
tempt TO Cripple Freedom
of American Press
Chief Executive Called the Most
UnSCrupaIOus DemagOgue
People Ever Trusted
Threat of Criminal Libel Pro-
ceedings Likened to Doc
trine of Lese Maieste


y World in the course Of its an
swer to President Roosevelt's
reference to that paper in his
special message to congress today
says:
Mr.. Roosevelt is mistaken. He
can not muzzIe the World.
While no amount Of 'billingsgate'
on his part can alter our determination
to treat him with judicial impartiality
and scrupulous fairness, we repeat
what we have already said, that the
congress of the United States should
make a thorough investigation of the
whole Panama transaction. that the
fun truth may be known to the Ameri-
can people.
New Doctrine, Says Paper
The World appreciates the impor-
tance and significance of Mr.. Roose-
velts statement when he declared TO
congress that the proprietor Of the
World should be prosecuted for libel
by the governmental authorities and
tlst tile attorney general has under
\ consideration the form under which
shall be brought.
This is the first time a president
ever asserted the doctrine of lese ma
5este or proposed. in the absence of
specific legislation the criminal prose-
oution by the government of citizens
who criticised the conduct Of the gov
ernment or the conduct OF individuals
who may have had dealings with the
government. Neither the king of Great
Britain nor the German emperor would
venture to arrogate such power to
himself
Adams Course Recalled
John Adams attempt TO enforce the
sedItion law destroyed the federalist
party in America. Yet Roosevelt, in
the absence Of law, officially proposes
10 use all the power OF the greatest
government on earth TO cripple the
freedom of the press on the pretext that
the government itself has been lbeled
and he is the government.
1T is true that the World printed
The public reports concerning the Pan
anna. canal affair. which resulted from
william Nelson Cromwelrs appeal to
the district attorneys Office during the
recent campaign to prevent the publica-
ton Of a story which was said to be
in the hands Of the democratic national
committee.
Cromwell Raised Issue
It was Mr.. Cromwelrs own action
which raised the issue in the campaign.
II is true also that when Mr.. Roose-
velt made his attack upon Delavan
smith. the World called attention to
certain statements which Mr.. Roose-
, relt must have known to have been
false and misleading. and appealed to
congress 10 end all scandal by a full
and impartial investigation. II this be
treason. let Mr. Roosevelt make the
most OF it.
Mr. Roosevelt's lamentable habit OF
inaccurate statements makes it impos-
sible to accept his judgments or his
conclusions. In his message he does
NOT state correctly even so simple a
matter as the pretended causes of his
grievance.
Presidents Word Challenged
~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 accepted. 1t
would have been equally glad to print
Mr. .Robinson's denial had it succeeded
in obtaining one from him. as it fre-
ouently attempted. The World has no
evidence that he was associated with
Arr Cromwell and would accept his
word 70 that effect; for Mr.. Robinson is
an estimable gentleman of high charac-
ter. whose reputation for veracity is in
onftelv better than that of his distin-
euisbed brother in law.
Roosevelt Called Demag0gue
the World has libeled anybody we
hone il viii be punished, but we do not
,nfond 10 be intimidated by Roosevelts
,hroats or by Roosevelts denunciation
or bv Roosevelts power
No other living man ever so grossly
libelcd the United States as does this
pcesident, who besmirciies congress,
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