The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1909-01-08
CALLS FOR INQUIRY
FACTS AS TO CANAL PURCHASE
MUST BE GIVEN.
President Roosevelt's Elaborate "Ex-
plantations" Unfortunately Do Not
Explaln-Mueh TO lnvesti-
gate and Ascertain.

II there existed no reason for coun-
selling or demanding an official inquiry
into the purchase of the Panama canal
before Mr.. Roosevelt explained the
matter 80 deliberately and painfully, a
good many do exist now. No president
has ever occupied such n position be.
fore the people that by sweeping de-
NAL he could remove n popular Inn
preston or by general Endorsement
create one.
Certain declarations OF Mr.. Roose-
welt, based on what must have been
assumptions, are bowled over instantly
by explanations of their character. For
instance, Mr.. Roosevelt assumed that
Charles p. Taft was charged with
some compromising connection with
the purchase of the canal, and that
the charge was registered for the pur-
pose of impugning the honesty of the
president-elect The New York World
dismisses that matter by saying 1t
never made such a charge and gladly
printed Charles p. Tnft's denial. OF the
allegations as to Douglas Robinson, 1t
says the same thing. but that II print
ed no personal denial from him be-
cause 1t could not secure It. AS mat
ter OF fact, no acquaintance Of either
OF these men ever INDUCED moments
suspicion OF their guilt.
The president simply sets up a man
Of straw to knock over and wait for
the applause. He has neither logical
nor legal mind. nor an adequate com
prehension of the value OF facts or the
method to be followed in their mar
shal!ng. In his palpable effort to
prove an Investigation unnecessary, he
has proved that one is more necessary
than ever.
The American people are not going
to accept blindly Mr.. Roosevelts asser-
ton that I'VE did not have anything to
do with the distribution of dollar of
the s40,000,000 we paid as regards any
stakeholder or bondholder OF the
French company" as final and conclu-
sive, nor is the Submission of n list of
the names of the 5000 stockholders of
tho new Panama canal company eyi-
dence that they were either the i'm
mediate or ultimate recipients OF the
money, or any part OF II. Nor are We
obligated to consider the assertion
that we wanted the canal and got II at
the price agreed upon as final evidence
that the transaction was honest from
inception TO elimination and that Ii
not to say that any Of the officials who
conducted the negotiations on behalf
OF the government were involved in
any wrongdoing.
II Is also pertinent to remark tina.
Mr.. RooseveIt's dictum as to our total
lack OF concern over the relations of
Mr.. William Nelson Cromwell with
the French companies Is not final. We
are very much concerned about that II
Mr.. Cromwell conspired, or deceived,
or secured high appraisal. or added
some millions to the purchase price Of
his own volition. or promoted a revolu.
tion--with or without the sanction or
knowledge Of this goyernment--that
title might be perfected TO the proper
ties the subject Of purchase.
As a matter of satisfying. II not sub
stantively valuable. information we
ere concerned to know whether It Is
trne that control Of the stocks Of the
French companies could have been Sc
cured for "a 600. 600. even though the
purchase OF all the stock would have
cost d good deal more. There 10 very
much to investigate and ascertain and
the matter Of not the least importance
Is how It happened that Mr.. Roosevelt
Is SO exercised about Il al md 70 In
sistent that these stories, a. q matter
Of fact, need no investigation what
svor"