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EVERYBODY j EVERYBODY 10 PAGES READS IT. J NEEDS IT. 1 LAST EDITION. MONDAY EVENING. TOPEKA, KANSAS, DECEMBER 7, 1908. UONDAY EVENING. TWO CENTS. CONGRESSfEETS Both Houses Hold Short Ses sions and Adjourn. Little Doue Besides Swearing In New 31enibrs. CHEEKS FOR CANS ON. Uncle Joe Is Glyen an Oration by Both Parties. Tice President Sherman Slakes Tisit to the House. Washington, Dec. 7. Both houses of congress held brief sessions today, ad journments being taken out of respect to the memory of those members who had died during the recess. The only business transacted by the senate was the swearing in of Senator Page of Vermont. The first half hour that the house was in session was devoted to a roll call to ascertain the presence of a Quorum. T-he formal opening of the body wit nessed a remarkable demonstration for Speaker Cannon, the Republicans and many Democrats loudly clapped their hands and cheered for several minutes. Soon after Mr. Sherman of New York, vice president-elect, came into the chamber and he was accorded an ova tion from his Republican colleagues. In like manner the Democrats roundly ap plauded the new leader. Champ Clark, when he rose in his place and forced an explanation regarding the absence of credentials of a new member from the Third New York district. Came in Droves. Washington, Dec. 7. The ever in teresting . spectacle of the convening of a congress today brought to the capitol building, where the national legislature sits the usual throngs bent on gaining admission to one house or the other where the exercises incident to the opening of the second session of the Sixtieth congress were held. For many days past the demand for cards which entitle the bearers to seats in the respective cralleries. has been so great that when the doors of the massive structure were thrown open at 9 o'clock, a crowd, more than sufficient to take up the entire seat ing capacity of the two chambers, had assembled. From that time on they came in droves, the corridors on both floors being filled with crowds surg ing back and forth, while long lines of people stood outside each gallery door relying for an opportunity to get even a peep into the senate or house, on some of the more fortunate va cating their seats. Thf unfavorable weather conditions did not seem to have the effect of re ducing the Bixe of the crowds as gauged by those which had gathered on similar occasions. - In both bodies among the most in terested spectators were the members of the diplomatic corps who were present in goodly numbers. Numer ous high officials -of the government likewise occupied seats and they, too, displayed the keenest interest In the proceedings. The rule of the senate and house prohibiting the placing of floral pieces on the desks was 'rigidly en forced. The contributions in this re srard were many and handsome, but their donors were obliged to content themselves with having them placed in the private lobbies. Immediately after the senate had been called to order at 12 o'clock today by Vice President Fairbanks and Rev. Kdward Everett Hale, the chaplain, had opened the session with prayer, Senator Dillingham of Vermont, pre sented the credentials of his colleague. Senator-elect Carroll S. Page, who was at once sworn in as senator of the Uni ted States. The house was called to or der at noon. When Vice President elect Sherman entered the chamber he was accorded an ovation by his Repub lican colleagues. CHEERS h-aii. IXCLE JOE. Tlie Speaker Receives an Ovation on Calling House to Order. Washington. Dec. 7. When Speaker Cannon mounted the platform - and called the house of representatives to order he received an ovation at th'j hands of his Republican colleagues Not a few Democrats Joined in the demonstration which continued for several minutes. Although it was man ifest that almost the entire member ship was present, a formal roll call was necessary under the rules. The two floor leaders, Sereno E. Payne of New York. Republican, and Champ Clark of Missouri. Democrat, were early in their seats and each was accorded a hearty greeting by the members irrespective of party affilia tion. While the clerk read off the namej of members, the house was in great confusion, the speaker several times be ing compelled to rap for order. The roll call disclosed the presence of 861 members. Seven new members then were sworn in to fill vacancies that oc curred by death or resignation since the last session. They were: Henry A. Barnhart, Democrat, who succeeds the late Mr. Brock. Republican, from the Thirteenth Indiana district: Albert Esteplnal, Democrat, who succeeds the late Mr. Myer. from the First Louis iana district: Ott Foelker, Republican, successor to Mr. Dunweil, Republican. In the Third New York district; Frank E. Guernsey, Republican, successor to Mr. Powers, Republican, from the Fourth Maine district: Eben M. Mas ters, Republican, successor to Mr. Parker, Republican, from South Da kota at large; O. C. Wiley, Democrat, successor, to his father. A. A. Wiley. Democrat, from the Second Alabama district and John P. Swayzey. Repub lican, successor to Mr. Littlefleld, who resigned during the last session from the Second Maine district. Before consenting to the swearing in of the new member of the house from the Third district of New York. Champ Clark requested an explanation of why his credentials were not before the house. He got an ovation from the Democrats for thin, the first exercise of his prerogative as minority leader. The explanation was satisfactorv and the oath was administered. By unanimous consent Mr. Payne se cured the adoption of a resolution au thorizing the. committee on ways and means in their investigation and in quiry for the purpose of preparing a bill to revise the present tariff laws to subpoena and examine witnesses under oath and to send for necessary records, papers and other evidence. The speak er appointed Messrs. Payne of New York. McKinley of Illinois, and Clark of Missouri as a committee to join a similar committee of the senate to notify the president that the respective houses were in session and prepared to transact the public business. After the disposition of some routine business resolutions were adopted ex pressive of the regret of the house at the deaths of Representatives Dunweil of New York. Powers of Maine, Parker of South Dakota. Wiley of Alabama, and Senator Allison of Iowa, and as a further mark of respect the house, at 1:02 p. m., adjourned. TO STOP IMITATIONS. Mull Introduces Bill Patterned After Pure Food Law. Washington, Dec. 7. Patterned after the pure food law, a bill was introduced in the house today by Representative Hull of Iowa, making it a misdemeanor to manufacture for sale or transporta tion imitated articles of commerce un less such articles are branded so as to show their exact ingredients. The measure is broad in its scope and would apply to any articles of com merce recognized as a subject of trans portation and sale by the rules of the interstate commerce act. Practically all articles in domestic use would be affected, including clothing, furniture, or any article sold under a name now recognized as designating any mineral metallic, animal or vegetable substance which occurs in a state of nature. Conviction of a first violation of the act is made punishable by a fine not to exceed $500 or a year's imprisonment or both while subsequent offenses may be punished by fine of not less than $1,000 or a year s imprisonment or uoui. il ls provided specifically that no retail dealer shall be prosecuted under the act if he can establish a guaranty sicned bv the wholesaler, jobber, manu facturer or other person from whom he purchased such articles to the effect that the article is not an imitation or misbranded within the meaning of the act. The enforcement of the law is charged to the department of agricul ture, the examinations of specimens of articles of commerce to be made by the hiirpnn of chemistrv. Mr. Hull has announced that he will make every effort to have the measure enacted into law. NOT MICH LEGISLATION. Congress Is Disposed to Watt on Taffs Movements. Washington, Dec. 7. Interesting discussions and not much important legislation are likely to be the marked characteristics of the session of con gress which begins today. Every ses sion of congress is interesting, and this one will not be an exception to the rule, despite the general belief that the leaders are going in for a program which calls for "passage of the appropriation bills. economical ones at that, and mighty little else." The president's message will be read in both houses on Tuesday. One decidedly interesting feature of the coming session is to be the effort of President Roosevelt to secure ac tion on what he regards as some of the ""unfinished business" of his ad ministration. Included in this are antl-injunctlon legislation and an employers'- liability act. Mr. Roosevelt is not satisfied with what congress has done for "my policies" in the past, and, though without much hope of se curing important results, is going to amuse himself "stirring up the ani mals on the hill." As Is always the case with a retiring president, Mr. Roosevelt has lost a part of his in fluence with the national legislators. Thev are now much more interested in what Mr. Taft is going to want and do and not do than they are in Mr. Roosevelt. Such is human nature. Judging from the talk of the leaders of the house and senate, they are not in a mood to do very much toward meeting President Roosevelt's wishes as to legislation designed to "round out his administration." BOOK OF ESTIMATES. Government Requirements for 1910 Show Big Increase Over Last Year. Washington. Dec. 7. The secretary of the treasury today transmitted to con gress the book of estimates of appro priations required for the service for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1910. The following shows by departments the estimates for the fiscal year 1910. and the appropriations for the fiscal year. 1909, the latter including the de ficiency, mis cellaneous and permanent annual appropriations: Estimates Obiecta for 1910. Appropriations for 1909. Telslative $ 13.17S.178 Executive 413. 510 State department 4.3J0.3K5 Treasury depart ment 190.S9ti.64S War department. 234.0S3.150 Navv department 137.510.3SS Interior depart ment 200.332.151 Postoffice deDart- $ 14,124.6X6 440.510 4.413,469- 23S.O0O.675 193,331.116 133.160,401 212,390,745 1.737,450 15.7S6.249 in en t Department of 1.711.040 agriculture . 18.817.626 DeDartment commerce of and labor 13.043.845 11.344.103 DeDartment of justice 9.89(1.020 10.903.OS7 Totals S24.4;.94R JS32.629.339 The estimates for 1910 exceed the esti mates for 190J bv J57.9ll0.676. MRS. INGERSOLL WINS. S. Supreme Court Upholds Her Claim for $100,000. Washington, Dec. 7. The supreme court of the United States today decid ed in favor of Mrs. Ingersoll the case of Mrs. Eva A. Ingersoll. widow of the late Robert G. Ingersoll. against Jo seph Coram and others, involving a claim of $100,000 -by Mrs. Ingersoll on account of services rendered by her husband in the breaking of the will of the late Andrew J. Davis, a Montana millionaire. Declares Himself President. Port Au Prince, Dec. 7. General Simon, commander-in-chief of the revolutionists who entered Port Au ! Prince at the head of an army of 8,- I 000 today issued a proclamation in which he assumed the title of chief : executive and declared that he would organize a provisional government ; pending the assembling of the parlia ment. Weather Indications. Chicago. Dec. 7. Forecast for Kan sas: Fair tonight and Tuesday; warm er tonight. WAS lyRREARS. The Late Dr. Rustin at the Time of His Death Was Behind With His Premiums on Life Policies. IS NEAUING THE END. Testimony in the Darls Trial to Be Closed Today. Case Will Probably Go to the Jury Tomorrow. Omaha, Dec. 7. The attorneys for the defense in the trial of Charles E. Davis for the alleged murder of Dr. Fred T. Rustin.announced this morning that they expected to finish the presenta tion of testimony early today. .The state will put on but few witnesses in rebuttal and the testimony of these is not expected to be long. It is expect ed that the case will be ready for the lawyers' arguments before adjournment for the day. It is not thought that the attorneys will require more than a day so that the case will probably be in the hands of the jury sometime tomorrow. E.' Z. Gould, agent for the Penn Mu tual Life Insurance company, testified that the premium on a certain policy for $15,000 issued by his company on the life of Dr. Rustin was due on August 28. 1908, and was not paid. On Septem ber 1, he called the doctor on the tele phone and was told to call at his office the next day and get a check for the premium. Next day the doctor was dead. John Dale, general agent of the Aetna Life Insurance company identified two policies for $5,000 each issued by his company to Dr. Kustin. The premium on one was due on July 13, and the other July 20, 1908, neither of which was paid. Officer Lahey testified that at the Clarkson hospital on the morning of September 2. he asked Dr. Lord if he saw anybody on the streets while on his way to the Rustin home and Dr. Lord said he saw no one. On the same occasion witness declared that Mrs. Rustin said the doctor said nothing to her after he was shot. Officer Morman testified to having been with Officer Lahey on the occasion above mentioned and his testimony cor roborated that of his brother officer. Dr. Lord and Mrs. Rustin in their testimo ny denied that they had made the statements attributed to them. WATER MAIN BURST. Tore a Hole Ten Feet Square in tlie Pavement. - New York, Dec. 7. A good sized area in Brooklyn in the vicinity of Washing ton and Johnson streets was still wet today after last night's deluge by the breaking of a 24 inch high pressure water main. With a roar that could be heard for blocks the water shot up ward for 20 feet, sending with it a shower of paving stones, sprinkling ev erybody within 50 yards. Traffic was blocked until a hole in the street ten feet square was bridged. . Police re serves and an emergency crew from the water department were called out to hold the crowd in check and prevent a panic. No one was injured. LEAVES HOT SPRINGS. Taft Will Spend a Week in Washing ton Before Going South. Hot Springs, Va., Dec. 7. The presi dent-elect and Mrs. Taft, Secretary Carpenter and the entire office force took their final departure rrom Jtiot Springs last night. Mr. Taft tonight will be the guest of honor at the din ner of the North Carolina society In New York. After a week In Washing ton he will go to Augusta, Ga., for an extended sojourn. Pending his departure for Augusta Mr. Carpenter will establish offices for Mr. Taft in the Union Trust building in Washington. Thirteen Below Zero. Norfolk, Neb.. Dec. 7. A heavy snow which fell in northern Nebraska and southern South Dakota yesterday was followed by a fall of temperature to 13 below zero this morning. Joseph Caunon, 'Speaker of the i-St' fr--?-!- -' - Sucn '."irif- te' 'ca "ma tirra . r m ---,.,.,- ,jBwimr-tlrmr-rfrntr-t- mmM, 1 LESS WHEAT SOWN. Condition Is Below Last Year's and Ten Year Average. Washington, Dec. 7. Showing condi tions 85.3 against 91.1 a year ago, and a 10 year average of 92.2; rye condition of 87.6 against 91.4 a year ago, and a 10 year average of 95, with indications of a total area of winter wheat 29,884,000 acres, and rye are 1,935,000 acres, the department of agriculture today issued its report on those two cereals for De cember 1. . . The newly seeded area of winter wheat Is estimated at 5.6 per cent less than the revised estimated area sown in the fall of 1907, equivalent to a de crease of 1.762,000 acres. The newly seeded area of rye is estimated at 4 per cent less than the area sown in the fall of 1907, equivalent to a decrease of 80,000 acres. The percentage of acreage of win ter wheat compared with last year and average condition of that crop on De cember 14, respectively by states fol lows: . Kansas 96; conditions 92. Indiana 88; condition 65.' Illinois 88; condition 72. Nebraska 99; condition 89. California 90; condition 92. Texas 93; condition 89. OFF ON SIX DaFrACE. Sixteen Teams of American and For eign Cyclers Begin Great Contest. New York, Dec. 7. Amid the plaudits of 10,000 spectators Doronda Peitri, the Marathon runner, at 12:03:45 o'clock this morning fired the signal that sent sixteen teams of American and foreign bicyclists away in the 16th annual six day race around the big saucer shaped board track In Madison Square Garden. Many of the riders who in past years has participated in the event again faced the starter, notably, Rutt and Stoll, who captured the big end of the prize last winter; Matt Downey and Pastey Logan. Bobby Walthour and Eddie Root, Floyd . MacFarland and Jimmie Moran, and Leon Georget and Victor Dupre, the Frenchmen who made such a game finish last year, but there also were several competitors new to American bicycle enthusiasts. Going Terrific Gait. New York. Dec. ; 1.-, Smashing all hour records- except the fifth, 16 teams kept up a terrific gait all night in the six davs international ycie race. The only team to suffer the loss of a lan was Brocco and LaBrousse. The racers were two laps ahead of the record for the second hour, five lans for the " third, one mile seven laps for the fourth, and one mile eight laps for the fifth. Then they eased up a little and were five laps behind the record for the sixth hour. By continuous spurting during the seventh hour they established the new figures of 163 mile h-e laps, which is 9 laps ahead of Elkes ana Mctar land's record, made in' 1900. In a wild spring started by Moran just before the end of the eighth hour which continued for 27 minutes, the standing of the leaders was given a severe shake up. aber and La- Fourcad lost 12 laps. Brocco and La Brousse lost. 6 laps more, seven in all and Downing and Hilister, Walt- hour and Root. Devonovitch and Ro- bach and Galvin and Wiley lost one lap each during the sprint. At 9 o clock the leading teams had made 206 miles five laps, two miles and two laps more than the best previous record, which was made by Elkes and McFarland In 1900. The standing of the teams at that hour was as follows: Rutt and Stol 206 miles five laps; Dupre and Georget, 206.5; McFarland and Moran, 206.5; Fogler and Law son, 206.5; Downey and Logan, 206.5; Bedel! and Rupprecht, 206.5 : Palmer and Walthour, 206.5; Anderson and Vanoni 206.5: Collins and Mitten, 206.5; Hill and Demara, 206.5: Downing and Hollister, 206.4; Walt hour and Root. 206.4; Devonovitch and Drobach, 206.4; Galvin and Wiley, 206.4; Brocco and LaBrouse, 205.8; Faber and LaFourcade. 205.3. MRS. MAYBRICK WINS. Claim to Land Worth $2,500,000 Sus tained by Chancery Court. Richmond, Va., Dec. 7. The case of Mrs. Florence Maybrick ana her mother. Baroness von Roque of New York, involving title to land said to be worth about two and a half million dollars, was decided in their favor in the chancery court here today. House of Representatives, Opening the PRESSESJUTTON. President Rooserelt Opens Spo kane's Big Apple Show. The Exhibit Corers 3 1-2 Acres of Grcurd. MAY GO TO CHICAGO. A Plan to Transport the Entire Exhibition To the East for a Week in Jan uarj. Spokane, Wash.. Dec. 7. At 11:30 a. m. today President Roosevelt pressed an electric button in Washington, flash ing across the continent the signal for the opening of the first great national apple show in this city. For five minutes thereafter all the noise that could be made by whistles, bells and human lungs was strictly in order all over Spokane. The exhibit covers nearly three and one-half acres. Following a short parade early in the afternoon the show was formally opened. The central feature was an address by Louis W. Hill, president o the apple show, which it is proposed to make an annual festival in Spokane. A plan is now being developed to transport the entire apple show to Chi cago and exhibit there for one week in January to promote the apple industry and especially the interests of the northwest. IT SOLD WELL. First Issue of Miuisey's Sunday Even ing Times. Washington, Dec. 7. The capital city enjoyed a new sensation shortly after 3. o'clock Sunday afternoon when a gang of newsboys appeared on the street shouting the first issue of Frank A. Munsey's new Sunday Evening Times. Never before, except in war times, has there been any effort made to print and circulate a newspaper on Sunday afternoon in Washington and the result of the experiment is being watched with considerable interest. The Sunday Evening Times is merely a Sunday ex tension of the Daily Evening Times, and in appearance Is precisely like that paper. To accommodate the advertisers, who sought space in the first issue, a 20- page paper was printed, bright - ,and lively in-appearance. The sales of the paper are reported to have been large. BILLIK REPRIEVED. Lease on Life Is Extended to January 29 Next. Springfield. 111., Dec. 7. Herman Billik, sentenced to hang in Chicago, Friday next, has been reprieved until January 29. Acting Governor L. Y. Sherman granted the condemned man the new lease of life. Previously Francis E. Hinkley of Chicago, attorney for Billik, had filed the brief petition defin ing the case. It was set out in the Detition that certain new and vital matters in the case had come to the at tention of petitioner since the presenta tion of his application to the governor last April. The petitioner Iurther stated that Governor Deneen asked that further reprieve be granted until such time as the governor, who is now in Washington, can conveniently hear further proceedings. Hinkley declares that the new evidence found will vindi cate and free the defendant. Had Money in K. C. Kansas City, Mo., Dec. 7. John F. Downing, president of the New Eng land National bank of Kansas City, a deoositorv for the closed institution said today that the Springfield bank had a substantial deposit here. 'The National Exchange bank of Springfield has always had a large de posit with us, saia Mr. uownmg, and though it nas Deen reduced some in the last year, tneir closing came as a surprise to me. I believe their affairs can be satisfactorily straight ened out." Last Session of the Sixtieth Congress. REAL COLD WAVE. Mercury Drops to Nine Degrees This Morning. From somewhere up north a cold wave started southward a day or so ago, the forerunner of which reached Topeka Sunday afernoon, though the fall In the temperature during day light was not rapid. The government weather bureau official dug up the cold wave flag which was used for the first time this winter and scattered warnings broadcast over the adjacent territory. The mercury came to a' standstill about 3 o'clock in the afternoon and began to recede as the sun went down reaching the minimum of 9 degrees above the zero mark at 6 o'clock this morning, establishing another record for the winter the lowest previous temperature reading being 14 which occurred last Tuesday morning.. The sun has shone . bright and warm to day, though the mercury has seemed to be stiff and sore after its struggle with the cold wave last night and haa risen slowly and at 2 o'clock had not reached the freezing point by 5 de grees. Late Saturday evening there was a light shower which netted .05 of an inch of precipitation though since that time the weather has been fair. The weather forecast indicates "fair and warmer" weather for Tuesday and it will be welcomed by those who are thinly clad and poorly housed. The following were the temperatures In Topeka since 7 o'clock this morning: 7 o'clock 1011 o'clock 19 8 o'clock 11112 o'clock 22 9 o'clock Ill 1 o'clock 24 10 o'clock 11 2 o'clock 27 ALWAYS PAID CASH. Arclibold Tells of Purchase of Other Concerns. New York. Dec. 7. John D. Arch bold was again today a witness on re direct examination in the federal suit to dissolve the Standard Oil under the Sherman anti-trust law. Mr. Arch bold's testimony had to do with de tails of certain properties conveyed to the Standard Oil on its organization. The Standard entered the lubricating business extensively in 1878 said the witness. Practically all the acquisi tions of the Standard from 1875 to 18 82 were made by cash which came from the treasuries of the Standard and its subsidiary companies. Mr. Archbold said that the estab lishment of the stations to compete with the rivals of the Standard nat urally forced the small dealers and jobbers gradually from the field. Some correspondence between oil producers and the Pennsylvania geological sur vey showing the apparent limitations of crude oil production in the early records was spread on the record, witn the evident design of showing the hazards of the business testified to by Mr. Rockefeller and Mr. Archbold.. The witness said that wax was an important by product of petroleum and this branch of the Standard's in dustry had increased from 24 million pounds In 1892, to 240,992,478 pounds in 1907. A brief cross examinaton of Mr. Archbold by Mr. Kellogg, government counsel followed. , Regarding the Standard Oil com pany of Indiana, Mr. Archbold said it was riginally capitalized for $1,000, 000 oad had borrowed larse sums of money from other companies, which it had paid out of the earnings or over $55,000,000 between the years 1889 and 1906 on . a million dollars capitalization. Mr. Archbold said there had been many million dollars Invested In the company which was only nominally capitalized. Counsel for the defense said that it had been found impossible to get the London books of the Anglo-American company, but that efforts would be made to get a transcript of the James McDonald account of 2, 700,000. Mr. Archbold was then excused and recess taken until afternoon. PANAMA BONDS SOLD. Price Realized Averaged 102.4308 for the Whole Lot. Washington, Dec. 7. Secretary Cortelyou today announced that the Panama canal bonds had been sold at an average of 102.4368. The low est accepted bid was at 102.2778. There were 159 accepted bids amount ing to $30,000',000. Six hundred and seventy-two bids were rejected amounting to $72,808,800. The total number of regular bids therefore was 831. subscribing for $102,808,800. The bona fide character of the bids is shown by the fact that of the 834 received all but three were accom panied by certified checks or cash for two per cent of the face value of the bonds applied for. The following are the names of the successful bidders for $1,000,000 and over, together with the price offered: Fisk and Robinson, New York city, five bids, $2,000,000 each at prices ranging from 102.2'83 ' to 102.783; Chase National bank. New York, three bids, a million dollars each at prices ranging from 102.305 to 102.5005: the National City bank, New York, $10, 242.760, at 102.2778. The highest bid was by J. F. Houseman of Bradshaw, Neb., for $100 at 105. HOT AFTER HASKELL. Secretary Garfield Is Trying to Hurry Oklahoma Cfase. Washington, Dec. 7. Attorney Gen eral Bonaparte and Secretary Garfield were with the president today, the latter being accompanied by Vespasian Warner, commissioner of pensions. Mr. Garfield and the department of justice are working together to bring to a hearing at the earliest possible mo ment cases against a large number of men in Oklahoma charged with ac quiring Indian lands in violation of law. Among those against whom suits have been entered are Governor Has kell, who is charged with having ben one of the company that ac quired valuable town lands, and Sena tor Owen, himself of Indian blood. It is said that the cases involving Gover nor Haskell will not be aired in the courts to any greater extent than those against other defendants." SHORT UGLY WORD Statements cf Critics Regard ing Panama Canal Deal Branded as False by the Presi dent in a Letter. DEFENDS EVERYBODY Against Charge of Being in a Secret Deal. Says All the Records Are Open . to Inspection. Hot Springs. Va., Dec. 7. The fol lowing correspondence passing be tween President Roosevelt and Wil liam Dudley Foulke, has been mado public by the latter: "Hot Springs, Nov. 29, 1908. 'The President Sir: The Indiana polis News, not only during the cam paign, but even after its close has been repeatedly and continually mak ing serious charges against your ad ministration as well as against Mr. Taft in connection with the Panama, purchase, as for example, the follow ing: " 'The campaign is over and th people will have to vote tomorrow without any official knowledge con cerning the Panama canal deal. It has been charged the United States bought from American ciitzens for $40,0-00,000 property that cost thosa citizens only $12,000,000. Mr. Taft was secretary of war at the time ne gotiations were closed. There is no doubt that the government paid $40. 000.000 for the property, but who got the money? We are not to know. The administration and Mr. Taft do not tliink it right that the people should know. The president's brother-in-law is involved in the scandal, but he has nothing to say. The candidate's brother has been charged with being a member of the syndicate. He has. it is true, denied it. but he refuses to appeal to the evidence, all of which Is in the possession of the administra tion and wholly inaccessible to out siders. For weeks this scandal has been before the people. The records are In Washington and they are pub lic records, but the people are not to see them till after election, if then. "Even after the election this has been continued. It being said that Mr. Taft's "weakness" In Indiana (where he ran many thousands ahead of any other Republican candidate) was due in great measure to this alleged "scan dal." What are the facts in regard to it? Where are these "inaccessible rec ords?" When did they come Into the possession of the government and what do they contain? If the state ments of the News are true our peo ple ought to know it. . If not true they ought to have some lust means of es- timating what credit should be given" in other matters to a Journal which thus disseminates falsehoods. Yours, "WM. DUDLEY FOULKE." Roosevelt Replies. "White House. Washlnton, D. C, Dec. 1, 1908. "My Dear Mr. Foulke: I have re- . ceived your letter of the 29th ultimo, " and have read It in connection with your previous letter Inclosing quota tions from the Indianapolis News, a. paper edited by Delavan Smith. As Mr. Smith certainly knew that all the statements he made were false both as to this Panama matter and as to the other matters of which you inclose ma clippings, and inasmuch therefore, as the exposure of the falsity will not af fect his future statements. I am not very clear what good will result from such exposure. But inasmuch as you evidently earnestly desire some answer to be made and inasmuch as you say that some reputable people appear to believe the falsehoods of the News and Mr. Smith and Inasmuch as you seem to think that his falsehoods as regards the Panama matter are the most promi nent. I will answer them. "The News states in one of its issues that probably some of the documents dealing with the matter have been de stroyed. This Is false. Not one has been destroyed. It states that the last documents were sent over in June of this year, the object of this particular falsehood being, apparently, to connect the matter in some way with the nom ination of Mr. Taft. As a matter of fact the last papers that we have re ceived of any kind were sent over to us in May of 1904 and they have been accessible to every human being who' cared to look at them ever since and are accessible now. Any reputable man within or without congress. Republican or Democrat, has now and always has had the opportunity to examine any of these documents. You quote the News as stating that the "people have no offi cial knowledge concerning the Panam canal deal." The fact is that the peo ple have had the most minute know ledge, that every important step in the transaction and every Important docu ment has been made public In com munications to congress and throtigU the daily press, and the whole matter has been threshed over in its details again and again The News gives cur rency to the charge that 'the United States bought from American citizens for $40,000,000 property that cost these citizens only $12,000,000.' "Statement Is False." "The statement is false. The United States did not pay a cent of the $40. 000,000 to any American citizen. The News says there is no doubt that the government paid $40,000,000 for the property and continues 'But who got the money? We are not to know. The administration and Mr. Taft do not think it right that the people should know.' Really, this Is so ludicrous as to make one feel a little Impatient at having to answer it. The fact has been officially published again and again that the government paid $40. 000.000 and that it paid this $40,000. 000 direct to the French government, getting the receipts of the liquidator appointed by the French government to receive the same. The United States government has not the slightest knowledge as to particular Individuals to whom the French government dis tributed the sum. This was the busi ness of the French government. The mere supposition that any American received from the French government a "rake off' is too absurd to be dis cussed. It Is an abominable falsehood,' and it is a slander, not against the (Continued on Page Three.)