The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1909-01-31

| investigate? Ben Tiinlan should rise,
In his place every day to denand ac
ton until the senate shall have acted
The Newspaper Libei Case.
| We cannot at this writing know pre-
clseiy the nature of the libel suit -
testify in which several newspaper
men and others have been summoned
to appear before the fcGcr,! grand
Juries here ana in New York il cor
| nection with the scandal over tie EUR
! chase Of the Panama canal property
| from the French company
We cannot venture an opinion as to
| the truth or falsity of charges that
| there was just cause for scandal Tho
facts have not been sufficiently brough.
to light
1t is therefore proper that Judgment
be suspended pending determination
| Of the now covered facts.
However. let it be said that had the
government quickly answered peril
nent questions as to certain phases Of
the transaction connected with the
| canal purchase when those questions
| were first preached there might never
have been trouble.
For politics request for this informa-
ton was denied. For political effect
perfectly proper inquiry was hurled
back as of partisan animus.
And it remains to be said that the
long continued silence of the president
was responsible in large part for the
transformation of speculation in many
quarters into conviction in some quar-
tiers. 1t has been the motto of this
administration to turn on the light"
A little more light would have illumi-
mated this canal matter perhaps and
saved a world of trouble
WiIIett Properly Rebuked.
In all situations appears the man
whose function it is to-well permit
ne to use the word as more exactly
expressive than any other-slop over.
appreciate that that word is not the
pregnant with meaning.
Some Of the speeches in answer 10
the president in the quarrel with con-
gress. notably that of Congressman
Shirley of Kentucky, were intellectual,
argumentative. convincing.
When Representative Wiilett Of New
York arose in the house. however
and INDUCED in billingsgate in an en-
deavor to characterize Mr.. Roosevelt
when he descended to vulgarities and
reveled in the slime Of personal a!lu
sions and limited family matters per
tanning to the nations chief executive
then Democrats were made gladder
than Republicans could have been
when the house refused to hear him
and he left the floor with deserved re-
buke Mr. Willett is Democrat
Severity of language is desirable at
times. Emphasis is Indispensable upon
occasion. All gallant fighters refuse
to deprecate the delivery of hard blows
In a hard fight But even pugilists OBJ
serve some amenities. and they hold to
code of etiquette always respected
by their kind.
Certainly we may expect equal OBJ
servance of the prOprieties by our con
gressional representatives and sena
tors. else the congress would dcgener-
ate into an engine for the splitting of
spleen.
Less Talk, More Action.
And en- PEASANT. as the French say.
it IS proper to remind the lawmakers
that the short session-the last-Of the
Sixtieth congress is drawing to a close
and that multitude of important mat
ters remain unconsidered, while the
president and the legislators quarrel
and handy words in which the people
have little genuine interest. To both
the White House and the capitol let 1t
be said: Get to work on some of those
vital enterprises the people want float
ed-railroad regulation. tariff discus
sion. labor laws and other things often
mentioned in these letters. We of the
private ranks care more for these
things than for eloquent diatribes and
classic philippics.
MI n