The Topeka state journal., 1908-12-07


is there no such report in the depart
ment of justice and never has been but
no such report was ever made. In
granting the franchise of the Prairie
OIL and Gas company the president
simply approved the recommendation
of Hitchcock, submitted to him pre-
cisely as all other recommendations
were submitted. Moreover. in every
case referring to the granting of fran
chiSes or the adoption of regulations
as regards oil and gas franchises in
Oklahoma and the Indian Territory,
the president approved the recommen-
dations of Secretary Hitchcock with the
exception of one small and unimport-
ant grant to a Delaware Indian to
whom the Delaware Indians in recogni-
ton of eight years of service to the
tribe, had voted in council a fee of
$50, 900 which he had declined to accept
and who was given twice the usual
amount of land. The statement about
the alleged promises to a western SEN
ator is as ridiculous a falsehood as the
rest of the story
THE fact is that these particular
newspapers habitually and continuous
ly and as matter of business prac-
tice every form of mendacity known to
man, from the suppression of the truth
and the suggestion of the false 10 the
lie direct. Those who write or pro-
cure others to write these articles are
engaged in the practice of mend dacity
for hire and surely there can be no
lower form of gaining a livelihood.
Whether they are paid by outsiders to
say what is false, or whether their
profit comes from the circulation of
the falsehood is matter of small con-
sequence. It is impossible to answer
all of their falsehoods. When any
given falsehood is exposed they simply
repeat it and circulate another. If
they were mistaken in the fact; if they
possessed in their makeup of any
shred of honesty. it would be worth
while to set them right. But there is
no question at all as to any mistake
or misunderstanding on their part.
They state what they either know to
be untrue or could by the slightest in
quiry find out to be the untruth.
Hardly Worth While.
''I doubt if they themselves 'remem-
Der their own falsehoods for more
than very brief period and I doubt
still more whether anybody else does.
Under these circumstances it seems
hardly worth while to single out for
special mention one or two given false
hoods orr. one particular paper the
moral standard of which is as low as,
but no lower, than that of certain
other papers. OF course now and then
1 am willing to denounce given false
hood, as. for instance, as regards this
case of the Indianapolis News or the
case I have quoted of the New York
Sun simply because it appears some
worthy people are misled or puzzled
by the direct shamelessness of the un-
truth. But ordinarily 1 do not and
can not pay heed to these falsehoods.
If 1 did I would not be able to do my
work. My plan has been to do the
work and to let these people and those
like them yell and then to trust with
biding confidence to the good sense of
the American people in the assured
conviction that the yells will die out.
the falsehoods be forgotten and the
work remain.
therefore, as far as I am con-
cerned, I would rather make no an
swer whatever in this case. But L
have much confidence in your 1udg-
ment and if you feel that this man
ought to be exposed why you are well
come to publish this letter. There Is
no higher and more honorable cai1ng
than that of the men connected with
on upright, fearless and truthful news
paper; no calling in which a man can
render greater service to, his fellow
countrymen. The best and ablest edi-
tors and writer's in the daily press rem
der service to the community which
can hardly be paralleled by the service
rendered by the best of the men in
public life or the men in business. But
the converse of this proposition is also
true Most corrupt financiers, the
most corrupt politicians are no greater
menace to this country than the news
described. Whether they belong to the |
yellow press or to the purchased |
press, whatever may be the stimulat- |
ing cause of their slanderous men !
dacity and whatever the cloak it may |
wear. matters but little. In any event |
they represent one of the potent forces |
for evil in the community
yours very truly,
THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
William Dudley Foulke, Richmond,
Indiana"
Reply of the Sun.
New York, Dec. 7.-Mr Laffan re-
plies to the presidents letter as fol-
lows:
to Mr.. Roosevelt and ac-
knowledges his active sensibility in !
respect of the attention which Mr.. /
Roosevelt has been good enough to
pay him in his letter to William Dud-
ey Foulke of Indiana.
Notwithstanding the directness of
mis- challenge, the editor OF the Sun
declines a controversy with Mr..
Roosevelt. He is by no means indif-
'erent to the implied compliment dis
in Mr.. Roosevelt's TRADE, but
Mr.. Roosevelt has shown in his fire.
Iuent collisions with various persons
IF distinction that he has an over
whelming advantage over any re-
;pectable antagonist in his (Mr
complete freedom from
my sense of personal obligation in re-
;pect of the truth. The editor of the
sun is fully alive TO the extremity of
ne inconvenience which attaches to I
personal controversy with a man who
1as shown himself capable of sup
pressing and perversion of individual
and acts which in
ordinary life would. in the cognizance
Of any club or association of self re-
7pecting gentlemen, entail his prompt
I'm saying these things we can not
disguise our chagrin and humiliation
hat the person who is addressed is
also the president of the United
States
-'It is curious that Mr. Foulke is a
preferred repository OF these conf
iences of the president. 1t was to him ],