The Washington times., 1909-03-20
NORLD-NEVS LIBEL
SUITS TO SLUhBER
Wickersham Will Permit
Dust of Ages to Collect
on Indictments.
SEE NO CHANCE
OF CONVICTION
Roosevelt Did Not Think Further
Punishment Possible, 1t
Is Said.
BY JAMES HAY, JR.

Joseph Pulitzer, owner Of the New
York World, and DeIavan Smith, part
owner Of the Indianapolis News. need
no longer indulge Ia editorial fears
aoout the subversion of the Constitution
snd the restriction OF the right OF free
speech.
The high lights of the Department of
Justice need not keep their monkey
wrenches on their desks preparatory to
making the laws fit the offenses Of
those editors who printed much about
scandals" in regard TO tho purchase OF
the Panama canal strip.
In other words. the libel suits, fnsti-
tuted against Pulitzer, Smith ct al. at
the solicitation of Theodore Roosevelt
VIII not be pushed by this Administra-
ton They will be allowed TO drop out
OF sight. The documents relating TO the
suits viii be pushed far back into pigeon
holes' there to collect the dust of ages.
Many Different Tasks.
George w Wickersham. the nresar+
attorney General, viii have many diff
ncuit tasks TO perform In this Admins
tration. but they Will not be added To
py the prosecution Of gentlemen who are
charged with ibeling the United states
Government and the progress Of civiliza-
ton in general
From the beginning OF the agitation
about these prosecutions, there was
much doubt in the minds of LAWYERS.
who looked into the matter deepIy. as
TO whether any convictions could pe
had. Since Mr.. Taft became President.
it has been freely said that he, with his
thorough knowledge OF the law, had no
commence in the ability OF the Gov
ernment IN obtain any tangible results
from sucn prosecutions.
NOW comes the information from a
nlghiy authoritative source that all the
lawyers connected with the new Adj
ministration are convinced that tI1e most
enective thing to do in connection with
the suits Is TO allow them to 90 10
sleep and slunber through the ages. AT
the time that Mr.. Roosevelt was push
ng tne cases II was intimated that he
himsen hardly expected a successful
outcome from them and was actuated
py his belief that as much as could be
done TO punish the editors concerned
should 30 done. When the indictments
were secured. he thought the implied
disgrace was a heavy penalty for them
TO pay.
Go by Board.
For this reason the decision of this
Administration TO let the suits 40 by
the board cannot be construed as a
step IN direct opposition to the wishes
OF the Roosevelt Administration AS a
matter OF fact. the Government finds
itself confronted with these suits when
the opinion Of the best legal talent is
that they should not be prosecuted and
that, II they were carried on, no tan
gible results could be obtained.
At the office Of the Attorney. General
silence Is maintained aoout the whole
matter. This Is in accord with the plan
70 give TO the subject as little publicity
as possible and to let the public mini
forget tkat such action was ever con-
tenplated
Personally, Mr.. Taft did not relish the
publications eny more than did Mr..
Roosevelt. They brought serious charges
against Charles p. Taft, the Presidents
orother. as they did against Douglas
Robinson, Roosevelt's brother-Ir-Iayy.
Dut Mr.. Tafts attitude, as described bv
MS friends, Is that il Is little less than
absurd 10 pursue the matter anv fur
ther in the courts.
In some quarters il Is SAID that a
rev preliminary steps may be taken in
the cases 70 show that the AcmiDlsfra-
uon would pursue the matter If II
thought any results could be obtained.
but the best informed officials are OF the
opinion that nothing more will he done
IN connection with the prosecutions.