The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-03-07
A NATIONAL SCANDAL.

A NATIONAL SCANDAL.
1t has been long time since anything has !
occurred in connection with national poll
ties as scandalous as the secret interviews !
between Democratic Senator's and Mr.. Have
myer. the head OF the Sugar Trust. About
the first thing Senator Voorhees, said after
the Wilson bill reached the Senate commit
tee was that in revising 1t he intended to
smash the trusts if it was the last act OF
his life. When told that the Sugar Trust
intended to secure discriminating duty on
refined sugar Mr.. Voorhees, said:
1t win get not mill. A duty on refined
sugar is solely protection to the most cor
rupt. grinding and oppressive monopoly in
the country / intend to make il my especial
duty to see that this trust be smashed: You
ever is done in the way of changing duties
raised by the Wilson bill there will be no
Democratic party has for a quarter of a
century been inveighing against trusts and
mnonopSolies; and 1t has been trying to Kill
now foster them by tariff measures.
At the same time it was announced that
terested in specific provisions of the bill.
and Senator Voorhees, came out with a man.
ifesto declaring that If the committee once
began to give hearings to various interests
1t might consume the entire SUNNI T. whereas
what the country wanted was prompt action.
The month that has passed since these an
nouncements were made has been devoted
to efforts to compromise conflicting inter-
CT
terest. Nothing more has been heard of
Senator Voorhees, determination to smash
the trusts. The Sugar Trust has been rep
resented in Washington by able and active
workers. and finally the head of the trust
himself makes his appearance at the capt.
tai. 1t need not be stated that nothing but
an emergency involving great interests
could induce Mr. Havemyer to go to Wash
ington. He went to secure favorable legisla-
ton for the Sugar Trust, his prime object
being to have a discriminating duty placed
on refined sugar. His going to Washington
meant that and nothing else. His arrival
in the capital should have been notice to
every honest legislator to keep out of his
way. Under the circumstances it is as much
as any Senator's reputation is worth to re-
ceive a call from him or to see him In pri-
vate Yet what happened? Let the Jour-
nails Washington correspondent tell
Yesterday afternoon Mr. Havemyer, who
Is at the head of the Sugar Trust ar
rived here and took a suite of rooms at the
Arlington. Shortly thereafter a number OF
prominent Democratic Senators who have
been leading the movement for protective
changes in the sugar, iron and lead ore,
They were Immediately ushered into Mr.
Havemyer's room. Among those who came
were two or three members Of the finance
led well into last night. When the market
opened this morning in New York the re-
suit OF Mr.. Havemyers visit here and his
interview with Democratic members OF the
finance committee and Democratic Senator's
IN general was quickly seen. Common sugar
stock jumped up from IS to 90. At IL o'clock
1t was noised around the Capitol that many
large orders for the purchase Of Sugar stock
for Democratic Senator'S were sent out last
night and early this morning, and that the
bull movement was due solely to inside in
formation and the interview of Mr.. Have
myer with Democratic Senator's, that the
head OF the Sugar Trust had been promised
that there would be a duty placed upon
sugar which would be equivalent to IL cent
per pound upon the raw and IL cent upon
the refined article.
This is enough to make every honest
American hang his head in shame. 1t would
have been bad enough, after all that has
been said about smashing trusts and after
the refusal to give a hearing to the manu-
featuring industries of the country, If Mr.
Havemyer had been permitted to see the
finance committee or any member of it or
any member of the Senate in their rooms at
the Capitol But for them to run after him
like messenger boys, to seek him in his
room at the hotel like beggars, to flock
around him like rogues with itching palms
surely nothing more scandalous was ever
seen. And SO far as the moral quality of
the proceeding is concerned it matters little
whether the tariff bill as reported shall
place discriminating duty on refined sugar
not If it does. everybody will believe
that 1t was procured by corrupt means
and If it does not everybody will believe
that the Democratic Senators who called on
Havemyer were ready and willing to do
his bidding, and that they received their
price but were unable to deliver the goods.
1t is generally believed in Washington
that a ring of Democratic Senator's en-
bracing some members of the finance COM
mittee have been specializing in Sugar Trust
| stock. This stock has been vibrating ever
| since the Wilson bill reached the finance
! committee as reports indicated favorable
| or unfavorable legislation. Mr.. Havemyer
reached Washington Sunday afternoon,
and on Monday the stock advanced IA per
cent Yesterday the stock showed still
greater fluctuations advancing from IS to
| 100. then falling back to 80 and advancing
again to SO. OF course these fluctuations
put pile of money in the pockets of the
members Of the ring. Does any person
doubt that the Democratic Senators who
called on Mr.. Havemyer were benefciaries
| OF this speculative movement?
DISGUISED IN HAIR.