Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1908-12-11
ABUSIVE EPITHRTs ALWAYS ON

sNSA 3NeH - VIE Intriguing mlknk
with fitness have been placed over the front
door Of the White House on the day tbs,
Theodore Roosevelt became President OF
the United States, for such has been The cass
with our strenuous chief executive from the
moment he hrst took his seat. Hardly
person or Newspaper Of prominence 10 the
United States that has dared 10 express an
opinion or state fact 10 opposition TO his
peculiar notions has escaped TRADE OF de-
nunciaiion from his ever-ready tongue or
pen. II all the people be has branded a.
liars and undesirable citizens were banded
together In one association, they would form
an organization OF nailonr dimensions;
and be is still engaged in adding to their
number.
Among the latest victims OF his abusive
epithets are several newspapers and persons
who have bad the temerity TO discuss here
lately what has for some time been known
as "the Panama scandal" II has been re.
peatedly charged. In Congress and elsewhere,
that, 10 connection with the project Of build
Ing the Panama Canal, the United States
bought for 10000, 900, from American citi
zens. property which cost those citizens
only ei2O00O00. There is no doubt tina,
the Government paid the enormous price
for the property, and the unanswered ques.
ton as 70 who got the money Is what has
given rise to the scandal. Bot President
Roosevelt objects to the asking OF this cues
ton, and Is engaged In denouncing all in.
quirers on the subject as liAEs and little less
than criminals. The latest to receive such
treatment, up to this writing There may be
others within the next few hours), are Mr..
DelAvan Smith. editor Of the Indianapolis
Fsscs. and Mr. Laffin, editor OF the New
York Sun. The former merely quoted and
commented upon an article from the New
York World touching the Panama scandal,
and the latter, in referring to the charges,
urged that an official Investigation be made
Of them. To all OF which the furious an .
swer Of the President is that Mr.. Smith lied
and Mr.. Lain lied and everybody lied who
has suggested anything on the subject that
did not meet with his high and mighty ap-
probation.
Well, here Is part Of what Mr.. Latin
says In reply to Mr.. Roosevelt:
"The editor of the Sun presents his com.
pliments to Mr.. Roosevelt and acknowl
edges his active sensibllity in respec, OF the
attention which Mr.. Roosevelt has Been
good enough to pay him 10 bis letter to the
Hon. William Dudley Fonlke, of Indiana.
Notwithstanding the dlrectness Of hIs
challenge, the editor Of the Sun declines
controversy with Mr.. Roosevelt. He is by
no means indifferent to the implied com.
pliment discernible In Mr.. Roosevells TRADE,
but Mr.. Roosevelt has shown 10 his fire.
quent collisions with various persons Of
distinction that be has an overwhelming
advantage over any respectable antagonist
In bis (Mr. Roosevelrsl complete freedom
from any sense Of personal obligation 10 re.
spect OF the truth. The editor Of the Sun
is fully alive to the extremity Of the incon.
venience which attaches TO personal con.
troversy with 9 man who has shown himself
capable of suppression and perversion OF
individual correspondence, an act which In
ordinary life would, in the cognlzance OF
any club or association Of selfrespectInR
gentlemen, entail bis prompt expulsion.
'In saying these things we cannot dis
guite our chagrin and humiliation that the
person who Is addressed Is also the Presi.
dent of the United States.
III is curious that Mr.. Foulke is prefer.
red repository OF these condolences OF the
President. II was to him that Mr.. Roose.
welt wrote his memorable letter DENYING
that he was using the Federal patronage 10
aid Mr.. Taft's candidacy, letter which at
once took its place among the most valued
incunabula of veracity."
Delavan Smith was shown & COPY of the
letter Of President Roosevelt and made the
following reply:
THE Presidents comments on the Pana.
ma editorial are based on statements made
by prominent New York paper, not the
New York Sun, which the Indianapolis
News printed at the same time, with many
other papers, giving full credit to the source
from which they obtained it. 10 making the
editorial comment to which the President
takes exception, the editor Of the News
credited its information TO the New York
paper, making the charge and distinctly
disclaimed any responsibility for its accu. |
racy.
This editorial was published In the or.
linAry course Of the daily routine Of the
ditorIal department st time when was