The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-01-13
WARM DEFENSE
OF ACCUSED MEN
Congressman Cook of Colo
RADIO ArraignS Administration
for PerniciouS Activity
NO RASCALS IN HIS STATE
LETTER SENT TO ROOSEVELT
AND OTHER OFFICIALS.

Washington. Jan. 12-In a personal
letter which he has addressed TO the
president and vice president, Speaker
the Justices of the supreme court.
members of the presidents cabinet and
the Washington newspaper cOrre-
spondents, George w. Cook, Republic
can congressman-at-larg from Colo
RADIO. severely arraigns the adminis-
tratiOn for its course in prosecuting al
legged infractiOns' of the public land
laws in Colorado
Congressman Cook insists that great
injustice has been done to a number
of ColOrado's most honorable, upright
and law-abidiEg business men in that
they have been unnecessarily branded
as criminals through over -zealcusness
of the government in ordering indict-
ments without furnishing evidence. He
cites the recent decisions of Federal
Judge Robert E. Lewis at Denver, IN
which he quashed indictments against
some thirty citizens to show that gov
eminent prosecutors were over active
in their efforts to punish land frauds.
Letter of Mr.. Cook.
Congressman Cooks letter follows:
My Dear Sir: l must earnestly pro-
test against the continued high hand
ed, pernicious political persecution
made by certain of the department bu-
reaus Of the government in this city.
branding many of. our most honorable,
upright and law-abiding business men
of Colorado as criminals.
Their only information and author
ty for such malicious statements ara
reports made to them by nonresident
special agents and prosecutors sent to
Colorado, whose accusations against
innocent men are for the sole purpose
of securing personal prOElotiOn in
Washington and the opportunity for
the governmental bureaus here to dis
seminate among the press throughout
the country misrepresentation as 10
timber land and coal thieves that do
not exist in Colorado.
Indictments ouashed.
Judge Robert E Lewis of the Unit
ed States district court. Denver. on
Dec. "a, 20 and 80. quashed all Of the
indictments against some thirty of our
most worthy and reputable citizens
(several of whom have been engaged
actively in business in Colorado for
thirty years. on the ground that the
government had absolutely failed to
furnish any evidence whatever against
these men-a most singing and severe
rebuke by Judge Lewis of the United
States district. court (an appointee Of
the present administration
Active preparations were made by
certain high officials in Washington
for the prosecution of these cases.
They condemn honorable men of un-
questioned integrity before they are
found guilty OfNany violations of the
law, or even given an opportunity of
defense.
Judge Lewis decision gives uni
versaI satisfaction to all of our peo-
pie in Colorado, regardless of their
present affiliations, and is endorsed
by our press; in fact, every newspaper
in the state most heartily commends
Judge Lewis action. The truth has
been indicated
Denver Press Quoted.
"In this connection I beg to call at
tention to editorial below, Denver Re
publican of Dec. 26, 1907; also editorial
of Dec. 25, 1907, written by ex-senator
T. NJ. Patterson. owner and editor of
the Rocky Mountain News, Denver.
Here follow editorial extracts from
the Denver Republican and Rocky
Mountain News, both upholding Judge
Lewis in his decision.
Congressman Cook then continues:
Referring to the action taken "a The
last cabinet meeting of the year, Dec.
81. as to the Colorado cases, the pres
ident criticised the judiciary and au-
thorized the attorney general as Il
lows:
The government will use every
means in its power to bring ABOUT in
the higher courts disapproval of the
decision rendered in Colorado py Judge
Lewis
Colorado Citizens Ready.
Our citizens are willing and ready
to meet the issue raised by the in
pulsive administration, but as To the
purpose on the part of the latter 7
cannot comprehend unless it is to
continue in the IimeliSht,' and there
fore the country viii be saved-from
the. bureaucrats' point view
The unprecedented and dictatOri1l
encroachment of the executive against
the legislative and judicial depart
ments of the government is almost 4
daily threat to the peace and prosperi-
ty of the republic and should be
knocked on the head by the cons.itu-
tional decision of the supreme coui
Of the United States.
IAN article in the Washington Star
Of Dec. 81 quotes the commissioner of
the land Office as saying:
Continued on Page 2.