New-York tribune., 1908-12-16
CALLS JOSEPH PULITZER
"REAL OFFENDER" "
Dir. Bonaparte Considering Libel
Proceedings Government Has
Nothing to Conceal.
from The Tribune Bursau1

States false and HbeNous- speaking oL
Joseph Pulitzer as the real offender and
saying that the Attorney General has under
consideration the form in which the proceed
ings against Mr. Pulitzer shah be brought"
The message served 70 clear the air OF the
various unfounded rumors which have been
circulated, and is \so complete in every detail
that the Senate leaders say this evening that
it seems to dispose Of ali necessity for an inves-
tigation. The Senate so carefully investigated
every phase Of the Panama transaction some
years ago that Senator's have all along been
unwilling TO attach much Importance 70 the
various rurnors Of rnalfeasance. but some OF
them were disturbed over the refusal OF Will
lam Nelson Cromwell 70 reply TO the questions
put by the late Senator Morgan as 70 who got
the money. Mr.. Cromwell has now furnished
this information. however, and Senator's ex-
press themselves as doubtful il there are any
more pertinent questions which can be asked
In the House the same opinion seems TO pre-
vail but Mr. Rafney the author Of the resolu-
tion calling for inquiry. is unwilling TO lose
the notoriety which that measure promised him.
and insists that he is still a doubling Thomas
and that he must be shown The force OF
the Presidents denunciation Of those RESPONSE
BILE for the runOrs which have been IN clrcula-
ton caused some amusement among the mem
bers of both Houses and there was Laughter
when that part OF the message was read
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
The text Of the message follows.
Fo the Senate and 4Iouse Of Representatives.
In view Of the constant reiteratiOn OF the
assertion that there was some corrupt action
by or on behalf OF the United states govern
nent in connection with the acquisition of the
title of the French company 10 the Panama
Canal and of the repetition OF the story tna1
a syndicate Of American citizens owned either
one or both Of the Panama companies, deem
it wise 10 submit the Congress all the IN
form ion hay 0n
were first brought TO my attention as published
in a paper in Indianapolis. called "Ihe News
edited by Mr.. Delavan Smith The stories
were sCurrilOus and HbelOus IN character AMI
false in every essential particular Mr. smith
shelters himself behind the excuse that h9
merely accepted the statements which had ap-
peared in a paper published in New York me
World" owned by Mr. Joseph Pulitzer II IS
idle TO say that the known character OF 9lr-
Pulitzer and his newspaper are such that the
statements in that paper viii be believed oy
nobody, unfortunately. thousands Of persons
are I'M informed in this respect and believe the
statements they seo in print even tnougn
they appear i'm a newspaper published by Mr..
Pulitzer Member of the Congress has ac-
tually introduced resolution IN reference 10
these charges 1 therefore lay all the facts
before you.
The story repeated at various times by The
World and by its followers in the newspaper
press is substantially as follows. That there
was corruption by or on behaIr or the govern
ment OF the United states in the transaction
by which the Panama Canal property vas
ACQUIRED from its French owners That there
were improper dealings Of some kind between
agents Of the government and outside persons
reDrasentfne or acting for an American syndi-
cate who had gotten possession of the French
company: that among these persons who II
was alleged made huge profits" were Mr.
Charles P Taft. a brother of Mr. William H
Taft then candidate for the presidency. and
Mr. Douglas Robinson. my brother -tn-law.
that Mr. Cromwell the counsel for the Panama
Canal company In the negotiations. was in some
way impIiCa ted with the United States govern
mental authorities I'm these improper transac-
tous; that the government has concealed tnS
true facts and has destroyed, procured or
agreed to the destruction of. certain dOCu-
r1ents- that Mr. w H Taft was Secretary oE
War at the time that by agreement between
the United States government and the beue-
fctaries of the deal all traces thereof Wers
wiped out by transferring all the archives
and .seCrets'' to the American government, Just
before the holding Of the convention last June
at which Mr.. Taft was nominated
These statements sometimes appeared IN ths
editorials sometimes in the news columns.
sometimes in the shape OF contributions rom
individuals either unknown or known 70 be of
had character They are false in every parttc-
uIar from beginning to end The wlCkedness
of the SANDERS Is only surpassed by their
fat1itv So utterly baseIess the stories
that apparently they represent IN part merely
material collected for campaign purposes ana
in part stories originally cOncoCted with 4
view OF possible blackmai. The inventor Of
the story about Mr.. Charles P Taft for In
stance evidently supposed that az some period
OF the Panama purchase Mr. w II Tart was
Secretary of War, whereas in reality Mr. w
II Taft never became Secretary OF War until
long after the whole transaction IN question had
been closed The inventor of the story about
Mr. Douglas Robinson had not taken the
trouble 10 find out the fact that Mr.. Robinson
had not had the slightest connection. directly or
indirectly of any kind or sort with any phase
Of the Panama transaction from beginning 20
end The men who attacked Mr.. Root IN the
matter had not taken the trouble TO read the
public documents which would have informed
them that Mr. Root had nothing 70 do With
the purchase. which entirely arranged
through the Department Of Justice under the
then Attorney General Mr. Knox.
NO PROOF PRODUCED
Now. these stories as matter OF fact need
no investigation whatever No shadow OF PROOF
has been or can he. produced in behalf Of. any
Of them They consist simply Of a string =
infamous HbeIs In form. they are in part
IiheIs upon individuals. upon Mr. Tart and Nj
Robinson for instance. But they are IN fact
wholly. and in form partly a libel upon the
T-uited States government. DO not believe
We should concern ourselves with the particu-
lar individuals who wrote the lying and ubeI0us
editorials articles from correspondents. or ar
ticIes in the news columns. The real offender
is MI Joseph Pulitzer. editor and proprietor OF
The World" While the criminal offence of
which Mr. Pulitzer has been guilty IS I'm form
a libel upou individuals. the great injury donS
is in bIackening the good name of the Auert-
can people cit should not be left 20 a private
citizen ~ sue S1r P';litzsr for HbeL He should
he prosecuted for libel by the governmental
authorities In uoint OF enCOurageu1eut OF in
fquity I'm point Of infamy. Of wrong doing
there is nothing 70 choose between public
servant who betrays his tr1ist. public servant
who is guilty Of blackmail. theft. Cr dnan-
cial dishonesty ~ any kind and a guilty.
as Mr. Joseph Pulitzer has been Euilty IN this
instance II is therefore a high rational duty
% bring to Justice This vt1aer OF the American
people This man who wautouly and wiCkediv
and without shadow o3 Justification seeks
to blaCken the Character OF reputa BE private
citizens and 10 convict the government q his
own country in rhe eyes II the civilized world
OF wrCngdOing Of the bas7st and fOu'est kind.