The weekly true Democrat. (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1905-1912, 1908-12-18
NEWSPAPER THAR rs HosT
LESS.
The New York Wogld e
Paper WilI noe 5
President

Il EapoH VIII Not Il.
President
NEW YORK, Dec IS New Xofi
World in the course 81 % answer {.
President Roosevelt's references . llal
paper in his special message % Con-
gress yesterday says:
"Mr. Roosevelt Is mistaken re
cannot muzzle the World.
while no amount of billings4ate on
his part can alter our determine t'o1 Co
treat him with judicial impart ga
scrupulous fairness, we repeat Iat
have already said, that tho Congress
the United States should make q thor
ough investigation OF the whole Panama
transaction that the full truth may be
known TO the American people.
THE World fully appreciates the
compliment paid 10 II by Mr.. Roosevelt
in making it the subject of a special
message to the Congress Of the United
States.
The World likewise appreciates the
Importance of Mr.. ROosevelt's state
ment when he declares 20 Congress that
the proprietor of the World should be
prosecuted for libel by the governmental
authorities, and that the Attorney.
General has under consideration the
form under which the proceedings
against Mr.. Pulitzer shall be brought.
PRECEDENT ESTABLISHED.
"This is the first time a President
ever asserted the doctrine of lees ma
jestie, or proposed, in the absence Of
specific legislation, the criminal prose-
cution by the government of citizens
who criticised the conduct Of the gov
eminent or the conduct of individuals
who may have had business dealing
with the government. Neither the
King of Great Britain nor the German
Emperor would venture to arrOgate
such powers to himself. John Adams
TO enforce the sedition law de-
stroyed the Federalist party in Ameri-
ca. Yet DIR. Roosevelt, in the absence
of law, officially proposes to use all the
power OF the greatest government on
earth to cripple the freedom of the
press on the pretext that the govern
ment itself has been libeled-and he is
the government.
eff the World has libeled anybody,
we hope it will be punished, but we do
not intend to be intimidated by Mr..
Roocevelt's threats or Mr.. RoOseVelt's
foundations, or by Mr.. RoOsevelt's
power.
No other living man ever so grossly
ibeled the United States as dIA this
President, who besmirches Copq!fs,
)ulldoZes judges, sssails the integrity
II courts, ISLANDERS private citizens, and
Who has shown himself the most reck- 4
ess, INSCRIPTIONS demagogue whom
he American people ever trusted witt
treat power and authority.
I'VE say this not in anger, but in
incere sorrow. The World has i'm
more respect for the office
i President Of the United States than
Theodore Roosevelt has ever shown
Turing the years in which he has main
aimed a reign Of terror and villifed the
lOnor and honesty Of both public off,
ials and private citizens who opposed
lis policies or thwarted him in his pur-
,Oses.
$50 far as the World IS concerned.
Is proprietors may 90 to Jail, il Mr..
roosevelt succeeds, as he threatens
ut even in Jail the World will not
ease to be a fearless champion of
rec speech, free press and a free
eople."
Joseph Pulitzer, proprietor of the
World, said
$50 far as am personally concerned,
was at sea during the whole of Octo-
err, and, in fact, practically for two
ears ] have been yachting on account
my health. / never read a word or
Yllable of this Panama story, was not
connection with the paper and had
Othing to do with it. Mr.. Roosevelt
nows all this perfectly. He knows /
m chronic invalid and mostly abroad
aehting on account of my health. l
link his anger Is simply due to the
harp attacks made by the World on
i'm politically. For that I am perhaps
esponsible /; that is, for the political
rticism Of Roosevelt on public and POI
teal grounds solely. am really sorry
should be 30 very angry, but the
lorld will continue to criticise him
ithout a shadow Of fear, il he should
leceed in compelling me to edit the pa
er from Jail"