Evening journal., 1908-12-15
SAYS NO GRAFT
IN CANAL SALE
lcontlnaed Ion l1lrsl pasel

Continued From First Page)
the fact that AIR Robinson had not had
the slightest connection. directly or in
directly OF any kind or sort with any
phase OF the Panamn transaction from
beginning to end The mon who attacked
MI. Root in the matter had not takon
the trouble 20 read the public documents
which would have informed them that Mr..
Root had nothing 10 30 with the purchase
which was entirely arranged through tile
Department OF Justice under the then
Attorney-General. Mr.. Knox.
Now, these stories as a matter Of fact
need no investigation whatever No
shadow OF proof has been. or can be- pro-
duced in behalf OF any OF them. They con-
sst simply Of string OF infamous libels.
Iu form. they are n part lbels upon in-
dividuais upon Mr. Taft aud Mr.. Robin
son for instance. But they are In fact
wholly, and in form partly. a libel upon
the United States Government I do not
believe we should concern ourselves with
the particular individuals who wrote the
lying and nbelous editorials articles from
correspondents. or articles in the news
columns Tho real offender IS Mr. Joseph
Pulitzer, editor and proprietor OF the
World. While the criminal offcnsu OF
which Mr Pulitzer has been guilty IS In
form a libel upon individuals the great
injury done Is I'm blackening the good
name OF the American people. It should
not be left to a private citizen TO sue Mr..
Pulitzer for libel He should be prosecuted
for libel by the governmental authorities.
In point of ENCOURAGEMENT OF iniquity.
In point OF infamy Of wrong-doing, there
Is nothing to choose between a public
servant who betrays his trust a public
servant who is guilty Of blackmail. or
theft. or financial dishonesty Of any kind.
and a man guilty as Mr.. Joseph Pulitzer
has been guilty IN this instance II is
therefore a high national duty TO bring 10
justice this viliher Of the American peo-
pie, this man who wantonly and wickedly
and without one shadow OF Justification
seeks TO blacken the character OF reput-
able private citizcns and TO convict the
Government of his own country. I'm the
eyes Of the civilized world of wrongdoing
OF The bascst and foulest kind. when he
las not ono shadow OF justification Of any
sort or description for the charge he has
made. Tho Attorney General has under
consideration the form in which the pro-
ceedings against Mr.. Pulitzer shall be
brought
French Government Got the Money.
Concerning the SoOOo,C0O payment the
President says:
Tho distribution OF orr payment Of SO i
oo0Oo follows the award OF arhltrators
chosen by tho now company and the nqu-
dator. authorized by the decree OF thi
same Civil Tribunal OF the Seine ana
providing for a Determination OF the pro-
porlionatc division between tho new and
old companies We paid the money
through the Now York banking house OF
Messrs j. H. Morgan & Company acting
as fiscal agents OF this Government. into
the Bank of France in Paris. The reccipts
and accounts of our Treasury Depart |
ment show the payment OF the money |
into the Bank of France and account for
the money being paid over to the liquida- |
tor appointed by the Civil Tribunal OF the !
Seine and 10 the New Panama Canal Com |
pany OF France. the proportion OF the |
forty million dollars being 23.G0oWO francs !
to tho liquidator Of the old company and
100000 francs to the New Panama
Canal Company OF France In liquidation.
In these payments we followed 10 the let
terfthc decree OF the governmental trib-
una of France which had tho authority
10 make such a decree. the Civil Tribunal
OF Che Seine We had neither desire nor
authority TO so behind this decree Of this
proper governmental body. as an the con
niciing rights OF the security-holders Of
both companies had been settled by the
decree Of said court by ratification OF the
arbitration which resulted i'm that d.
vision.
wish to make as clear as possible. and
as emphatic as possible. the statement
that we did not have anything to do with |
the distribution Of dollar OF the $4,000
% wc paid as regards any stocbholder or
bondholdcr of the French Companies save
that We followed out the award OF the ar
b.trators appointed in accordance with
tho decree OF the French court which had
dealt with the subject in awarding a
certain proportion TO the old companv
and certain proportion to the new COM
pany. Any question concerning the stock
holders, bondholders. or other bcnofici-
aries OF the proceeds of sale was purely a
question for the Civil Tribunal Of the
Seine, the French governmental body,
with which this nation had nothing what
ever to do.
The title TO the Panama Canal proper
ties was vested I'm the New Panama Canal
Company OF France. which was the legal
owner thereof and the old or so-called
De Lesseps Company had a large equity
therein. The title was not IN n New Jcr-
sey company nor IN any other American
Company. nor did this Government have
any dealings with any American company
throughout the affair.