Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1908-12-17
SUCH is CHARACTERIZATION OF
NEW YORK WORLD IN REPLY
TO MESSAGE.
LAMENTAeLE HABIT OF INACCU-
RACY MAKES PRESIDENTS
JUDGMENT UNWORTHY
ACCEPTS STATEMENT OF TAFT
THAT HE MADE NO PROFITS
OUT OF PANAMA.

New YORK, Dec. 1.-THE World in
the course of its answer to the pres
idents reference to that paper in a
special message to congress yester-
day says:
Mr.. Roosevelt is mistaken. He
cannot muzzle the World.
While no amount Of bilIingsgate
on his part can alter our determine
ton TO treat him with judicial impair
TALLY and scrupulous fairness, we
repeat what we have already said,
that the congrC IS Of the United States
should make a thorough investigation
Of the whole Panama transaction,
that the full truth may be known to
the American people
The World appreciates the i'm
portance and significance of Mr..
RoOseveIts statement when he de-
cIarcd TO congress that the proprietor
OF the World should be prosecuted
for libel by the governmental author
tiles, and hat the attorney general
has under consideration the form
under which proceedings against Mr.
Pulitzer shall be brought
This is the first time the presi-
dent ever asserted the doctrine of
jesc majesty, or proposed, in the alb
scnce Of specific legislation, crimi-
nal prosecution by the government of
citizens who criticised the conduct Of
government or the conduct Of individ-
nails who may have had business
dealings with the government
Neither the king Of Great Britain nor
the German emperor would venture
to arrOgate such power to himself
Johu Adams attempt to enforce the
sedition law destroyed the federalist
party in America Yet Mr.. ROOse
welt, in the absence Of law, officially
proposes to use all the power of the
greatest government on earth to Grip
pie the freedom of the press on the
pretext that the government itself
has been IibeUed-and he is the gov
eminent
1t is uue the World printed pub
lie reports concerning the Panama
canal affair which resulted from Will
liam Nleson Cromwells appeal to the
district attorneys office during the
recent campaign to prevent the pub
location Of the story which was said
to be in the hands of the democratic
national committee. It was Crom-
wells own action which raised the
Issue i'm the Camnaign
1T is true also that when Mr.. Roose
welt made his attack upon Delavau
Smith the World called attention to
certain statements which Mr.. RoOse-
welt must have known to be false or
misleading, and appealed to congress
to end all scandal by full and i'm
partial invest CATION. If this be trea-
son, let Mr.. Roosevelt make the most
of IT,
Roosevelt's lamentable habit of
inaccurate statement 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.
The World has never said Charles
p Taft or Douglas Robinson made
any profits whatever. Mr.. Taft de
MED that he was concerned in the
transaction in any way, which denial
the World published and accepted. ItI
would have been equally glad to print
Mr. Robiuson's denial could it have
succeeded in obtaining one from him
as it frequently attempted. The
World has no evidence that he was
associated with Cromwell and would
accept his word 10 that effect; for Mr..
Robinson is an estimable gentleman
of high character, whose reputation
for veracity is infinitely better than
that OF his distinguished brother-in
law.
If the World has libelled anybody
We hope it viii be punished. but we
do not intend to be inundated by
Mr.. Kooseyelt's threats or by his de
annexation, or by his power.
No other living man ever so gross
~ ibeIIed the United States as does
this president, who besmirches con
gress. hulldozes judges, assails the in
regriJy Of courts. ISLANDERS private
citiz,ns and who has shown himselfI
the most reckless. INSCRIPTIONS dem
agogue whom the American people |
ever trusted with great power and
authority.
We say this not il anger but in
sincere, sorrow. The World has i'm
measurably more respect for the OF
fee of president of the United States
than Theodore Roosevelt has ever
shown during the years in which he
has maintained q reign of terror and
vilihed the honor and honesty of
both public officials and private citi
zens who opposed his policies or
thwarted him in his purpose.
AS far as the World is concerned
its proprietor may go TO jail, if Roose-
Welt succeeds. as he threatens; but
even in Jail the World viii not cease
10 be a fearless champion OF free.
speech. a free press and a free peo-#
pie"