The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1908-12-07

Taft in connection with the Panama
purchase. as for example:
The Panama Matter.
"The campaign is over and the peo-
pie will have TO vote tomorrow with
out official knowledge concerning the
Panama canal deal. IL has been
charged that the United States
bought for certain American citi-
gems for s40,O00.OOO property that
cost those citizens only S12,0OO,OOO.
Taft was secretary Of war at the
time the negotiation was closed.
"There is no no doubt that the
government paid $4,000, 900 for the
property. But who got the money?
We are not to know. The admins
tratiOn and Taft don't think II right
that the people should know. The
presidents brother-in-law is involved
In the scandal, but he has nothing to
say. The candidate brother is
charged with being a member of the
syndicate. He has, II is true, denied
It, but ne refuses 10 appeal to evil
dence, all Of which is IN the posses
SION of the administration and wholly
Inaccessible to outsiders. For weeks
this scandal has been before the peo-
pie. The records are in Washington
and they are public records, but the
people are not to see them till after
the election. II then"
If the statements OF the News is
true the people should know il; If not
true, they Olght TO use II as a means
of estimating what credit should be
given in other matters to a journal
which thus disseminates falsehoods.
Yours,
WILLIAM DUDLEY FOULKE.
Presidents Letter.
White House, Washington, Dec. 1,
1903.
Ny Dear Mr.. Foulke:
81 have received your letter of the
goth and read it in connection with
your previous letters inclosing quota
tons from the Indianapolis News,
edited by DeLaven Smith. As Smith
certainly knew that all the state
ments he made were false, both as TO
the Panama matter and to the other
matters Of which you enclose me clip
pings, and inasmuch. therefore. as the
Exposure of falsity will not affect his
future statements. am not very clear
what good will result from such ex-
posure. But as you evidently earn
estly desire that some answer be
made, | will answer them.
1.-The News states that probably
some documents dealing with the
matter have been destroyed. This is
false. Not one has been destroyed.
It states that the last documents were
over in June this year. the object OF
this particular falsehood being, APP
parently, to connect the matter n
some way with the nomination of
Mr.. Taft AS a matter of fact the
last papers received of any kind were
sent over in May, 1904, and they have
been accessible TO every human be
ing, and are accessible now. Any
man, Republican or Demo
crat, has now, and always has had, an
opportunity to examine any OF these
documents. The News gives currency
to the charge that the Omitted States
bought from certain American citi-
zens for $40 900, 900 property that
cost these citizens only $12 900 600.
The statement is false. The United
States did not pay a cent of $40 ,O00,-
600 to any American citizen. The
News says there is no doubt that the
government paid $4,000, 600 for the
property, and continues, but who got
the money? We are not to know.
The administration and Taft don't
think 1t right that the people should
know" really this is so ludicuous as
to make one feel impatient at having
10 answer IT, The fact has been Off
cially published again and again that
the government paid $4,000 900,
and that 1t paid this 100000 900 d.
rect to the French government, get
ting a receipt of the liquidator APP
pointed Dy lht IichSh b''Ni iihNii' -
The United States government has
not the slightest knowledge as TO the
particular individuals among whom
the French government distributed
this sum. This was the business OF
the French government. The mare
supposition that any American re-
ceived from the French government a
rake Off is too absurd to be discussed
II is an abomnible falsehood, and
SANDER, not against the American
government, but against the French
government. The Naws continues
saving that the presidents brother
in-law is involved in the scandal.
Defends Brother-in-Law.
"The presidents brother-in-law Is
involved in no scandal. DeLavan