Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-12-15


Washington, Dec. 10. = President
Roosevelt today replied to charges of
the New York World and other papers
that there was corruption in connec-
ton with the purchase of the Panama
canal from the French company. His
message is as follows:
Special Message to the Senate and
House of Representatives:
In view OF the constant reiteration
of the assertion that there was some
corrupt action by or on behalf of the
United States government in con-
nection with the acquisition of the
title of the French company to the
Panama canal, and of the repetition of
the story that syndicate of American
citizens owned either one or both of the
Panama companies, l deem it wise to
submit to the congress all the infor-
nation / have on the subject.
These stories were first brought to
my attention as published in a paper
in Indianapolis, called THE News"
edited by Mr.. Delavan Smith. The
stories were scurrilous and libelous in
character and false in every essential
particular. Mr.. Smith shelters him.
self behind the excuse that he merely
accepted the statements which had ap-
peared in paper published in New
York, 1.-THE World" owned by Mr..
Joseph Pulitzer.
1t is idle to say that the known
character of Mr.. Pulitzer and his
newspaper are such that the state
ments in that paper will be believed
by nobody; unfortunately, thousands
of persons are ill-informed in this re-
spect and believe the statements they
see in print, even though they appear
On newspaper published by Mr.. Pulit-
yer. A member of the congress has
actually introduced a resolution in
reference to these charges. l there
fore lay all the facts before you.
Charges Made by The World.
, The story repeated at various TINES
by The World and by its followers in
the newspaper press, is substantially
as follows:
That there was corruption by or on
behalf of the government of the Unit
ed States in the transaction by which
the Panama canal property was ac-
INJURED from it's French owners: that
there were improper dealings of some
Kind between agents of the govern
ment and outside persons, represent
ing or acting for an American syndi-
cate, which had gotten possession OF
the French company; that among
these persons, who it was alleged
made "huge profits" were Mr. Charles
p. Taft, a brother of Mr.. William H.
Taft, then candidate for the prcsi-
dency, and Mr.. Douglas Robinson. my
brother-in-law; that Mr.. Cromwell, the
counsel for the Panama Canal COM
pany in the negotiations, was in some
way implicated with the United States
government authorities in these I'M
portant transactions; that the govern
ment has concealed the true facts, and
has destroyed, or procured or agreed
to the destruction of, certain docu-
ments; that Mr.. w. H. Taft was secro-
tSTJ of war at the time; that by an
agreement between the United States
government and the beneficiaries OF
the deal, all traces thereof were
archives and secrets to the Ameri-
can government, just before the hold
ing of the convention last June al
which Mr.. Taft was nominated.
False in Every Particular.
The statements sometimes appeared
in the editorials, sometimes In thC
news columns, sometimes in the shape
of contributions from individuals
either unknown or known to be of baC
character. They are false in ever!
particular from beginning to end. Thu
wickedness of the ISLANDERS is only sur
passed by their faulty. So utterl.
baseless are the stories that apparent
terial collected for campaign purposes
and in part stories originally concoct
ed with view of possible blackmai
The inventor of the story about MI
Charles P. Taft, for instance, evident
ly supposed that at some period of tn
Panama purchase, Mr.. w. II. Taft wa
secretary of war, whereas in reaiit
MIR. w. II. Taft never became secre
tary of war until long after the Who'll
LdhSdSNioh AZ puCSIAOh Aou D0S
closed.
The inventor of the story about NJ
Douglas Robinson had not taken til
trouble to find out the fact that MI
Robinson had not had the slightes
connection, directly or indirectly, @
any kind or sort with any phase c
the Panama transaction from begin
ming IN end The. men who attacKe