The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1910-04-05
ARRESTED
FOR LIBEL
Secretary of Merchant
Marine is in
Trouble

Washington, April 5.-The arrest of
John ~ Penton of Cleveland. O.. sec
retary OF the Merchant Marine League
OF the United States for criminal lib
ell, against Representative SteencrSon
OF Minnesota, followed his appearance
as a witness today before the ship
subsidy lobby.
Penton accompanied the detectives
TO the district attorneys Office and
was released after dopositing $500
cash ball Inc arrest was made on a
secret indictment returned March 30th
based ON an editorial which appeared
on December 1st last. in the Amer
lean Flag" the official organ of the
Merchant Marine League
The alleged libelous statement. ac-
cording to the Indictment. appeared
under the heading "Steenerson soon
to have a chance and read as fol
lows,
IF Congressman Steenerson has any
real solicitude for American labor II
he Is in truth not throwing dust in
the eyes of his constituents by de-
claiming against coolIe labor. he Will
soon have an opportunity to show his
sincerity.
'Tf he desires TO supplant coolie
labor. with American labor. he may
follow President Taft and the loyal
members of the Minnesota congress
Sional delegation and vote for such
legislation IN the next congress as will
cffectually do away with eoolie la
Dor on American ships doing Ameri-
can business"
Continuing under sub-head. What
manner of man is this?" the article
reads.
''Is a man ut to hold public oflce
that will deliberately perycrt and ma
liciously falsify tho facts connected
with any important public question?
hold that he is not-that such man
IS dishonest and an enemy to his
country and his count try's best inter.
osts and that he and men like him
are constant mepaces to American
progress at home and abroad. There
are not many such in congress. but
there will bo always a few and the
Ninth district Of Minnesota has one.
Mr. Penton asked the house inveS
ugatinG committee today TO postpone
his examination until he could obtain
counsel from Cleveland. He identified
a number of his letters. submitted by
Mr Steenerson. and admitted some
OF them were unfortunate In their
language" although he said the league
assumed responsibility for them
He also told the committee that the
November issue of The American
Flag" which hnd been offensive 10
members OF the house. had been de-
stroyed and the publication Of the pa
per had been discontinued.
The committee decided to consider
Mr.. Pentons S request in executive Scs-
sion.
At the hearing today Mr. Steener-
son caused a stir when he inquired of
James T McClcnry OF Minnesota. for
merly a member of the house and for
merly second assistant postmaster
general. who was also a witness. IL he
had not used his privilege TO the floor
OF the house to urge members to sup
port ship subsidy legislation
MI McCleary Indignantly denied
the charge.
II don't say" he said. that I never
talked about our merchant marine to
the members of the house. but I GER
tainly was not active In behalf of the
legislation"
did any one tell you that you
should not talk ship subsidy on the
floor of the house?" asked Mr.. Steen-
erson
Il think some member made a suG-
gestion which amounted 10 that" re-
plipd Mr. McClparV
Isn't It a fact" asked Mr.. Stecn-
erson, that member OF the house
would not sign a petition you were
circulating asking that you be ap-
pointed director of the mint, because
you were lobbying for ship subsidy?'
'The man who declined to sign that
petition did not have courage enough
TO state 1t that way and you are the
man" hotly declared McCleary.
Mr.. McClenTy said his interest In
ship subsidy dated back TO the time
when he was a member of the house
and an official In the postoGice depart
mont and had difficulty In getting mail
handled In American bottoms. He ad-
mltted he had delivered a n1mber OF
addresses on the subject Of ship sub
sidy for which he was paid expense
money by the Merchant Marine
league of the United States Once he
received 81 900 for trip to New Or
leans and Birmingham. He said he
know nothing about lobby for ship
subsidy,