The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1910-10-28
NOTED LIBEL SUIT IN
SUPREME COURT
GOVERNMENT USES WEST POINT
RESERVE AS BASE OF
ATTACK.
Alleges Panama Libel Publication Was
Spread There-Lesal Technically Is
Resorted to by Prosecutors in Car
ryins Case to Federal Supreme
Court.

ernmentS Drlef in the SO-called Pana-
ma libel suit of the United States
against the Press Publishing Comnany
OF New York, has been filed in the
supreme court of the United States It
contained q statement of facts and an
argument in support of the posi-
ton that the indictment against the
Press Publishing company should not
have been quashed.
I'm effect" says the brief. "the
published article charges that Charles
P. Taft. Douglas Robinson and Will
lam Nelson Cromwell, with j. Pierpont
Morgan and others, acting through an
American syndicate, obtained control
OF the securities of the French COM
pany which owned the Panama canal
route and its properties for the ap-
proximate sum of 100000. Aided by
the intimacy they enjoyed with Theo-
dore Roosevelt, then president of the
United States and brother-in-law of
Douglas Robinson, and William H. Taft,
then secretary of war and brother of
Charles P. Taft, and by the co-opera-
ton of these officials with them. they
were enabled to effect the sale of the
Panama canal to the United States
for $40,000,000 and reap a profit of
some $36.000,000, which was divided, as
charged. among government favorites
in the world of politics and finance"
Question Of Jurisdiction.
The substantial question which the
government says is before the court
was set out in the brief as being
whether or not the United States
Courts have jurisdiction to punish a
corporation which printed in the
city of New York newspaper contain.
ing libel, criminal under the laws OF
the state of New York, and circulated
copies of the same within the federal
territory of West Point. The govern.
ment's contention is based on an act
of congress of 1898, which the govern.
ment urges operates to transfer the
state law to federal territory, for the
purpose of furnishing acts committed
there, which, If performed outside and
in the jurisdiction of the state, would
be amenable to its laws
In the governments brief it Is ar.
gued that it is not only the right, but
the duty Of congress, so to legislate
concerning territory under its exclu.
sive jurisdiction as to preserve peace
and good order therein.
Ingenious Argument.
Because one may not be punished
for issuing libel in New York, is nc
reason" says the government, "for al.
lowing him to go free of all punish
ment for circulating it at West Point
The people in the latter place are en-.
titled to protection"
The Inconvenience to the accused of
being subjected to prosecutions in
sundry places, where their alleged lib.
els are circulated, was met with the ar.
gument that "the Inconvenience which
may be suffered by criminals has not
generally been regarded as adequate
reason for permitting them to operate
without restraint"
The suggestion that the offense
charged could be punished in New
York state courts and therefore was
not intended to be included 4: tue act
OF 1898 brought forth the argument
from the government that the state
of New York cannot punish an Of
tense committed at West Point against
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