Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-21
Governments Brief and Argu-
ment Filed in Supreme Court.
JURISDICTION IS CLAIMED
Power of U. S. Court to Punish New
York Corporation Asserted.
REVIEWS NEWSPAPER CHARGE
Names of Taft and Roosevelt Men
toned in Statement of
Facts Presented.

The governments brief in the so-called
Panama libel suit of the United States
against the Press Publishing Company of
New York was filed today in the Su-
preme Court of the United States. 1t was
argued by Attorney General Wickersham,
James c. McReynolds and Stuart Nc
Namara. 1t not only contained a state
ment of facts. but an argument in sup
port Of its position that the indictment
against the Press Publishing Company
should not have been quashed.
I'm effect" says the government S
brief, 1.-The published articles charge that
Charles p. Taft, Douglas Robinson and
William Nelson Cromwell. with ]. Pier
pent Morgan and others, acting through
an American syndicate, obtained control
of the securities OF the French company
which owned the Panama canal route
and It's properties for the approximate
sum of $3,OOO.OOO.
Aided by the intimacy which they en-
joyed with Theodore Roosevelt, Their
President of the United States, and
brother-in-law of Douglas Robinson, and
William III. Taft, then Secretary of War
and brother of Charles P. Taft and by
the cooperation of these officials with
them, they were enabled to effect the
sale OF the Panama canal to the United
States for $4,000, 600 and reap a profit OF
somt $36, 100000, which was divided. as
charged. among government favorites In
the world Of politics and finance"
Question Of Jurisdiction.
The substantial question which the gov
eminent claims is before the court was
set out in the brief as being whether or
not the United States courts have juris-
d}pfinn m xzrhf oh
printed In the city of New York a news
the laws OF the state Of New York and
circulated copies Of the same within the
federal territory of West Point. The
governments claim is based on an act OF
urges Operates to transfer the state law
to federal territory for the purpose OF
Furnishing acts committed there which II
performed outside and in the jurisdiction
of the state would be amenable to its
laws"
In the governments brief( 1t is argued
that it is not only the right but the duty
OF Congress SO to legislate concerning
territory under its exclusive jurisdiction
as to preserve peace and good order
for issuing a libel in New York is no
reason says the government, for al
lowing him to 60 free Of all punishment
for circulating it at West Point. The
protection
The inconvenience to accused of being
subjected to prosecutions in sundry places
where their alleged libels are circulated
was met with the argument that 1.-The in
convenience which may be suffered by
criminals has not generally been regard
ed 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 in the act of 1898. brought
forth the argument from the government,
that the state of New York cannot pun
ish an offense committed at West Point
against the United States