The Omaha morning bee. [volume] (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927, 1924-02-23
Guilt Must
BE Proved
Says Chief
G.. o. p. Leader Declares Sit
uation Is Taken Advantage
of by Political Black
guards.
Fights for Dau ghe erty


mittee today publicly Joined the issue
with those Of his party leaders in the
senate who are demanding the imme
diate resignation of Attorney General
Daugherty.
This is not the time" he said. in
formal statement. TO yield to the
threats of those who are conducting
this campaign Of political terrorism
or to the demands Of those who are
frightened by such methods.
The republican party organization,
he declared. will insist that no YER
dict of guilty shall be pronounced
until indisputable evidence Of guilt
has been produced. The statement
in full follows
THE integrity Of a former cabinet
official has been called into seriou.
question because ne Sceepte1 money
while in office from certain oil in
terests.
The reputation Of three former
democratic cabinet members aud other
democrats prominent IN the Wilson
administration. has been affected be
cause they received money from th-
same oil interests as hire for their
political influence with their - ad-
ministration.
so much for the facts regarding
the use Of money disclosed up-to-dsts
in the oil investigation.
Campaign OF Slander.
Taking advantage OF this situation
a few political blackguards and scan
dalmongers have launched a general
campaign Of slander against mem
hers Of the cabinet and others high
In official life.
One Of the victims OF this cam
pajgn is Edwin DENLY, secretary OF
the navy. The record shows he did
not perform a single act in connection
with the lea sing of the naval oil re-
serves that was either illegal or i'm
Imoral-much less a betrayal Of public
trust or inimical TO public welfare.
"Not one OF Secretary Denbye ac-
cusers can quote any official record
or sworn testimony to the contrary
Not one dare make his accusations
outside the halls of congress where
he claims protection in the preroEs-
tive of uttering slsnder.
Want Resignation.
Now II is being charged that At
torney General Daugherty was
party to the transaction. eli had
nothing whatever TO do with the oil
leases. lie was not even consulted
regarding them. Those making these
charges claim they want a conyres
sional investigation OF Daugherty in
order to bring out the facts. But
they are not willing TO wait for the in
vestisation.
What they hope TO do is to force
Attorney General Daugherty 10 re
tire from the cabinet before such an
investigation can take plsce. They
hope he will prefer such retirement
TO the alternative OF reaining in office
TO be harrassed and slandered.
The republican party organization
stands unaherably for clean and
honest administration of public az
fairs. II does not condone BETRAYAL
OF public trust or seek 10 protect
those of its party guilty CT such be-
traysl.
Guilt Must BE Proved
But IL Is equally insistent thar
guilt must he proved or shown by
evidences that admits Of no doubt
Hysteria is not proof Libel is net
truth. Idle gossip and hearsay scan
dsl are not evidence.
ITO punish innocent men upon such
irresponsible and disreputahls grounds
often results In letting those who
are really guilty escape. II 1. not
without the range OF possibility that
those who are now making wild
charges against public official. seek
to sacrifice innocent men in order
that guilt which should be ferretea
out and properly placed. may escare
detection.
This IS not the time 10 yield 10
the threats of those who are con.
ductins this campaign Of political ter
rorism or TO the demands OF thoso
who are frightened by such methods.
THE record show that mos, Of the
charges now being made are merely
revamped from those made some
time ago. by member OF the house
In demand for Attorney pausher.
tvs impeachment.
These charges were thoroughly IN.
vestigated by house committee
which. by vote ef 20 to l. De.
nounced them as untrue and unvsr.
ranted. This decision OF the commit.
tee. the house of representatives con.
CURED in an Overwhelming vote on
nonpariisan lines. The new charges
now helms made are nothing Nut
cheap gossip, part " which hiss a..