Show DEFENSE OF ACCUSED MEN Congressman Cook of oJ Colo CoIo Colorado Colorado rado Arraigns Administration for Pernicious Activity lii jI IN HIS STATE STAE LETTER SENT TO ROOSEVELT AND OTHER OFFICIALS I Washington Jan 12 In a personal letter which he has addressed to the president and vice president Speaker Cannon Cati on and ali air members of congress ss the justices of the supreme court members of the presidents cabinet and the Washington newspaper corre come correspondents correspondents George W V Cook Cool Republican can from Colo Cob Colorado Colorado Cobado rado ado severely arraigns the tue adminis administration lJ for tor its course coarse In prosecuting al at alleged alleged infractions of the public p land laud laws in Colorado Congressman Cook insists that great reat Injustice has been done Ilone to a number of Colorados most honorable upright and business nen in that they the have been unnecessarily branded as criminals through of the government nt In ordering t ments without furnishing evidence He H cites the recent decisions decision of Federal Fe Judge Robert E Lewis at In n which he hI quashed indictments against some thirty citizens to show that gov government government government prosecutors were overactive In their efforts to punish land frauds Letter of Mr Cook Congressman Cooks letter follows My Dear Sir I must earnestly pro protest protest protest test against the continued highhanded ed pernicious political made by certain of the department bu bureaus bureaus bureaus of the government In this city branding many of our most honorable upright and business mon men of Colorado as criminals Their only information and auther authority ty for such suph su h malicious statements ar reports made to them by nonresident special agents and prosecutors sent to Colorado whose accusations against n t Innocent men are for the sole purpose of securing personal promotion pro in Washington and the th opportunity for br forthe OJ the governmental government l bureaus hero here U tO ills dis disseminate among the press I the country misrepresentation as lo to I timber land Jand and coal thieves that do donot donot donot not exist in Colorado Indictments s Quashed Judge Robert RobeTt E Lewis of tIle the Unit United United United ed States district court Denver on Dec 2426 26 and 30 quashed nil all of of the tho th Indictments against some sonic thirty of out ou outmost most worthy and reputable citizens several of whom have been engaged actively in business in Colorado for f r thirty years ears on the ground that the government had lad absolutely failed fa l d to furnish any evidence whatever against these men mena a most stinging and sev re rebuke by Judge Lewis of the United States district court an appointee of af the present administration Active preparations were made by br certain high officials In Washington for the prosecution of these thc g cases They condemn honorable men me of un unquestioned unquestioned unquestioned questioned integrity in before they are found guilty of any violations of the law or even given ghen an opportunity of defense Judge Lewis decision give uni universal universal versal satisfaction to all of our peo people people pie in Colorado regardless of their ther th t present affiliations and is endorsed by our press in fact every newspaper In the state most heartily commends Judge Lewis action The Tile truth has hu hubeert been beert vindicated Denver Press Quoted In this connection I beg to call aU at attention attention to editorial below beIO Denver Ue TIe Republican publican of Dec Dee 26 1907 also editorial of Dec 25 1907 written by T M 1 Patterson owner and editor of the Rocky Mountain News Denver Deliver Here follow editorial extracts from the Denver Republican can and Rocky Mountain News both upholding Judge Lewis in his decision Congressman Cook then continues continue Referring to the action taken a the thelast thelast last cabinet meeting of the year Dec 31 as to the Colorado cases the pres president presIdent ident Ilent criticised the judiciary and aD au authorized authorized the attorney general as f flows fl I lows The government will use every means In its power to bring about in inthe inthe inthe the higher courts disapproval of h he Decision rendered in Colorado oy by Judge ludge Lewis Colorado Citizens Ready Our citizens are willing and ready read to meet the Issue raised by the Im administration but as to t tin the purpose on the part Dart of the latter J I cannot comprehend unless it is to Continue in the limelight and anti there thre therefore fore the country will be saved from he bureaucrats point o 0 view The unprecedented and dictatorial encroachment of the executive against the legislative and judicial depart departments departments departments ments of the government is jl t a Jl adaily dally daily threat to the peace and prosperity ty of the republic and should bo ho knocked on the head by b the con lu decision of the th sur supreme coun t of the tho United States An article In the Washington Star St r of Dec 31 quotes the commissioner of the land office as saying Continued on oi o Page 2 WARM DEFENSE OF ACCUSED MEN Continued d from Page 1 They will call eighty violations of or orthe the land laws in Colorado to t the tion of the grand Jury and ami some Bome of these may involve a number or of persons person whom Judge Lewis ha has discharged Called a Subterfuge This Tills Is a subterfuge bordering on the farcical and Is disseminated to the press of the tIme country for lor tin elL purpose of misleading the public as ag to the time so called land frauds that Jo d not fl and amid have hae not existed in Colorado Our citizens in Colorado have with patience submitted to thc o a persecutions persecutions persecutions for alleged offense offends nd every evry t ry citizen shoud should join in com corn commendation commendation of the fact that tha we have in our beloved country count true judges who have the time courage of ot their thel convictions c and believe In justice to every wery ev lY citizen tn and a real square squar deal emphasized J JIn In conclusion I beg to t say S y I assume the personal responsibility for state statements statements statements ments herein made I |