MR ROOSEVELT'S FEUDS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 13, 9 February 1909, Page 4

MR ROOSEVELT'S FEUDS

STUDY IN VITUPERATION. CHALLENGE Jj'ltOJl CONGRESS. LONDON, December 14, President Roosevelt is ending his term of ollice in a btazc of accusations, denials, and violent language. He is at present embroiled in bitter controversies with the Senate and the House of Representatives, as well as with the New Vork World. The "ginger 5 - which the President imported into Mr Taft's election campaign abounds plentifully iu each of the quarrels now proceeding. The liouse of Representatives yesterday, according to a Router telegram, unanimously passed a resolution calling upon the President to supply the evidence upon which he based his statements in a message to Congress that members of the House were deeply concerned and alarmed over the fact that secret service ageuts'had been investigating the actions of members themselves. The allegation was made by Mr Roosevelt in a passage iu the Message referring to the appropriation for the secret service.

Chi Wednesday the Senate passed a similar resolution providing for a searching investigation by a Committee of tin use of secret service detectives. Republicans and Democrats in both Chambers have allied themselves to avenge what was described as the " most wanton insult ever offered to any legislative asseuiblv in the worlti."

Mr Roosevelt's reply to these resolutions is eagerly awaited. The President is said to be rejoicing in the frav, and to have declared that he has ready for publication evidence which will conclusively demonstrate that certain senators and representatives require the most active surveillance on the part of tlve secret agents.

As a side issue, the resident is conducting a furious dispute with the New York World, which persistently declared that part of the £8,000,000 paid for the acquisition of the Panama Canal "went into the pockets of American speculators and <iovermnent officials. Mr Roosevelt replied with a message to Congress couched ill language in such amazing vehemence that the listening legislators could not refrain from laughter. Mr "Roosevelt talked of "lying," "blackmail,'' and ''infamous" and "scurrilous libels/' and personally attacked Mr Joseph Pulitzer, proprietor of the World, winding up by recommending the Government prosecution of Mr Pulitzer for criminal slander of the American Government and the American people. The World retorts by calling the President a "bull-dozer of judges," u ''most reckless and unscrupulous demagogue," and a "preeminent Jioeller," and refers to "his term of ollicc as " a reign of terror in which he has villified the honor nnd honesty of both puhlc officials and private citizens." The World expresses amazement at the "new doctrine of les'emajeslf,'' under which those who attack the President and his friends are liable to prosecution by the wholo force of the Government.