The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1908-12-15
Says Published Stories Were
Scurrilous and Lies
PURCHASE WAS EXPLAINED
NOBODY RECEIVED ANY "HAND-
OUTS" IN PURCHASE OF 18TH
MUS PROPERTY FROM THE
FRENCH, SAYS TEDDY-eov-
EMINENT MUST SUE PULITZER.
DECLARES ROOSEVELT IN TO-
DAYS MESSAGE.

Washington, Dec. 15.-President
Roosevelt today sent to the senate
statement concerning the purchase %
the Panama canal property by tie
United States, denouncing in strong
language the charges that there was
anything wrong In the acquisition by
the United States Of the canal prop
erty.
These stories he continued, "to be
concise, were brought to my alter
tion as published In paper IN Indian
apolfs called The News, edited oy
Deleyan Smith. The stories were sour
rilons and lies, and libelous in charge
and false in every essential particular.
Smith shelters himself behird the es-
cuse that he merely accepted the
statements which had appeared in
paper published in New YORK. The
World, owned by John Pulitzer. II is
idle to say that the known charac.er
OF Pulitzer and his paper are sren
that the statements in that paper VIII
be believed by nobody. Unfortunate:y,
thousands of persons are ih-informad
in. this respect and believe the state
nents they see In print, even tho1Sn
they appear in newspaper publishsd
by Pulitzer"
Americas Name 5Iacksned.
after pointing out tine mistaKes- and
Misrepresentation on the part of t.-s
authors of the stories, the pres!de:at
continues:
"The real offender is John Pulitzer.
editor and proprietor of The Word.
While the criminal offense OF which
Pulitzer has been guilty. is in the form
of libel on individuals, the great injur.
done is in blackening the good name uf
the American people. II should not e~
left to private citizens to sue Pulitz@rs
for libel. He should be prosecuted for
libel bv the government authorities.
IT is therefore. high national duty
to bring to Justice this villiiier Of tbs
American people, this man who want
only and wickeily, and without one
shadow of Justification. seeks 70
blacken the character of reputable
private citizens and to blacken the
government in the eyes OF the civil
ICED world. to wrongdoing of the bas-
est and foulest kind when he has not
| shadow of justification for the
charge he has made. The attorney
general has under consideration a
form in which the presidents proceed
! ings against Pulitzer will be. brought.
He Alone ls Responsibie.
! The president refers to various pa
pers which he transmits witt, his mes
sage, explaining the method or CON-
cludinR the purchase. The president
takes upon himself the responsibility
for all that was done to carry out the
win of congress "The action OF the
governrnent," ne says. was wholly
uncai4ed for by any question Of who
1 were or were not stockholders, either
| in the new or the cid company. Our
concern he said, was to get the
canal property which was owned by the
French company and see that the title
was clear Our transactions were
carried on openly and published IN
detail"
The president says that the United
States did not have anything to do
with the distribution OF a dollar OF
the money paid out except IN follow
ing out the instructions of the French
court. and that under the circum~
stances there was not the slightest
lneed for Cromwell TO give any in
formation. but that Cromwell. ef his
own accord. submitted a full list Of
the stockholders OF the New Panama
Canal Co. OF France on Jan. 1S, 1900
numbering over 6.000). and the list
of all the stockholders who we're press
ent at a special meeting Of the com-
pany held Feb. 2S. 1902.