Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-12-16
PANAMA CANAL DEAL MADE
SUBJECT OF MESSAGE
PUBLISHER OF NEW YORK WORLD
SEVERELY ARRAlGNED
Chief Executive, In caustic Language
Scores Joseph Pulitzer and De-
clares Government Will
Sue Him

pranh of President Roosevelts mes
sage to congress on the Panama canal
charges today
As the secretary read the statement
that the charges were false in every
particular" Senator Bailey laughed
outright
Other senators on both sides of the
chamber Joined with him and when the
reader reached the statement thal
statement in a newspaper which ne
mentioned would not be believed there
was general merriment.
There was only a small number OF
senators present when the reading was
begun and was hurried through the
| naDers accompanying the message not
being read at all.
The message ELECTED the greatest III
terest In the house.
| The members gave close attention
| during the reading of the doCuHlent
| and there was a ripple of laughter
over the presidents cAaracterizatloll ol
| Joseph Pulitzer, publisher of the new
| York World.
The message with its accompanying
porperty to the United States.
| Accommodating the presidents mes
sage was a large bundle of documents
bearing upon the transfer of the canal
papers, was referred to committee,
| MANY of these documents We're III
French without English translatons.
There was nothing which showed dl-
| rectlv the DerSons who received lhe
| $40 600 900 paid by the United states,
| hut there was included the names OF
| about 1000 stockholders in the old ailu
| new Panama Canal companies, all OF
| them being citizens or france anu VI
the Colombian republic.
There was not the name of citizen
of the United states in the list
MESSAGE from President
President Roosevelt's statement to the SEN
! ate concerning the purchase of the Panama
| canal property by the United states uehouloes l
| in strong Language the charges that there was
| ANYTHING wrong in the acquisition oy tne
| United States of the canal property. .,4
! '"These stories" he says, were hrst prought
| to my attention as publsheu III NJ a Pdpei b NJ, -
| indianapolis called the News edited by MI Mr.
| Delayan Smith The stories were scuIrhous
! and Ibelous in character and false in every
| particular ,,.,, 4t a.,
! c,1se that he merely accepted the statements
| which had appeared In a paper puphsneu III
New York-the World, owned by Joseph Fu-
| liter. -, ,.a,,,ar
| of Mr. Pulitzer and his newspaper are such
that the statements in that paper VIII NOT ue
| believed by anybody; but unfortunately thou-
| sands of persons are ill-nformed in this re-
| spect and believe the statements they see
i DrfuIed. though tney hppSdi IA a A'S"H7
| paper published by Mr.. Pulitzer.
s1mmarlzing the charges made in this con-
| nection, the president says:
Charges Summarized
..Those statements sometimes appeared in the
| editorials sometimes in the news coluhns'
/ sometimes in the shape of contributions py IN
| dividuals, either known or UNKNOWN ~ 10 u
| bad character.
.They are false in every particular from be-
ginning TO end. The wickedness or the sian
| ders ia only surpassed by their falsity,
80 utterly baseless are the stories that aP,
| parentyl they represent in part merely material
| collected for campaign purposes ana IN part
are stories originally concocteu Wlth we"
of positive blackmall. -, -, =,
'''rhe inventor of the story about Charles r.
Taft for instance. evidently supposed that at
some period Of the Panama purchase W., w: -,
Taft was secretary of war, whereas IN reaIty
w H. Taft never became secretary OF war
until long after the whole transaction IN ques-
| tion had been closen.
Robinson had not taken the trouble to find out
the fact that Mr.. Robinson had not had the
slightest connection. directly or indirectly OF
any kind sort, with any phase OF the rama
ma transaction, from beginning to end.
1.-THE men who attacked Mr.. Root had not
taken the trouble to read the public documents
which would have Informed them that Mr.
Root had nothing to do with the purchase,
which was arranged entirely ihroush the de-
partment of Justice, under the uheW attorney
general, Mr.. Knox.
Investigation Unnecessary
Now, as matter of fact, these stories need
no Investigation whatever. No shadow OF proof
has been or can be, produced in behalf OF
any of them. They consist mainly OF string
of infamous libels. ,,,,
I'm form they are lbels partly on individu-
alison Mr.. Taft and Mr. Robinson, for in
stance-but in fact they are wholly and in
form partly a libel the United States gov
IT do not believe we should concern out
selves with the particular individuals who
wrote the lying and libelous editorials, articles
from correspondents or articles In the news
.'The real offender is Joseph Pulitzer editor
and proprietor of the World. While the Grim
inal offense of which Mr.. Pulitzer has been
guilty is in form libel on individuals the
great injury done is in blackening the good
name of the American people.
''It should not be left to private citizen to
size Mr. pulitzer for libel. He should be
prosecuted for libel by the governmental au-
thorities.
point OF infamy. Of wrong doing. there is
nothing to choose between a public servant who
betrays his trust, a public servant VINO is
guilty of blackmail or theft, or financial dis
honesty OF any kind and guilty-as
Joseph Pulitzer has been guilty In this in
stance.
Nations Duty to Punish
TT therefore is a high national duty to bring
to Justice this villi1er of the American peo-
pie this man who, wantonly and wickedly and
without one shadow of justification seeks 10
blachen the character OF reputable private clll-
zens and TO convict the government of his own
country in the eyes of the civilized world of
wrong doing OF the basest and foulest kind,
when he has not one shadow OF justification
OF any sort or description for the charge he
has made.
''The attorney general has under considera-
tion the form under which the proceedings
against Mr. Pulitzer shall be brought"
The president refers TO various papers which
he transmits with his message. and calls atten-
ZION TO numerous uttsrances and acts relating
TO the canal and its purchase.
He cites the act of congress by which he
was authorized to pay $40 900. 900 for the canal
property, and says 1t no concern of the
president what the New Panama Canal com
pany did with the money.
Explaining the method of concluding the
purchase the president says
"rhe Panama canal transaction actually
was carried through not by the then secretary
Of state John Hay, the then secretary Of
war, Elihu Root. both OF whom, however,
were cognizant of all the essential features;
Continued on Page TwO)