The Washington times., 1894-06-15
WILL QUESTION SENATORS
Every One Must Tell Whether lie
Bought or Sold Sugar Stock.
WITNESS COSTER MAS EXCUSE
he Knew Ct No speculations by Senator's, Nor
of Amy Effort to Influence Legislation.
Newspaper Men Not Indisted by the Grand
Jury-New Line of Inquiry

tt Senate sugar trust investigating COM
mittee will begin TO question Senator's to-day
and it is understood will have every member.
of the Senate before them before ceasing this
line of their inquiry.
The idea OF the committee is to have every
Senator answer for himself as to whether he
has bought or sold sugar stock, furnished in
formation concerning tariff legislation on
sugar, or has been in any way improperly in
fuenced in his official actions by the trust.
1t is not known yet what Senators will be
first called.
There was but one witness before the COM
mittee yesterday and his examination did no.
consume more than fifteen minutes time. The
witness was Charles II. Coster, OF the firm Of
Drexel, Morgan Co., of New York, and he
was summoned because Of reports that his
firm had bought and sold large quantities of
sugar stock. Mr. Coster said thers was no
foundation whatever for this story. and said
that instead of having handled large luanti-
ties Of the stock they had not dealt in it at ALL
He also said he knew of no speculation in the
stock by Senators. nor OF any effort to influ-
ence legislation in any manner by the sugar
trust and with this statement he was excused.
The grand jury has not yet formally de-
ciared Correspondents Edwards and Shriver
guilty of CONTEMPT of the Senate" The
grand jury made its regular report yesterday,
but it eontaiued no mention OF the cases Of
the two correspondents.
II is probable the delay is due to an inten-
tion to bunch the cases of the newspaper men
with that OF Broker Chapman. Of New York.
The certificates Of Vice President Stevenson,
citing the refusal of Chairman to reply to the
commuters questions and directing that
steps be taken for his prosecution, reached the
District Attorneys Office yesterday, and prob
ably will be presented to the jury within two
or three davs.
In his testimony given before the investi-
eating committee John E. Searles secretary
and treasurer OF the American sugar refinery,
told of an interview ne had had with Senator
Jones in his committee room at the Capitol
on Sunday. He said he had met him there
by appointment alter the first Senate sugar
schedule was reported.
Senator Gray-For what purpose did he ask
you:
schedule and as 10 whether there was any way
IN which II could be improved TO make it more
equitable. Senator Jones understood from my
ule was Defective, think and Judge that this
was with the view 70 see whether It
was possible TO make it in any way more equit-
able ana yet not to change it.
SCHEDULE SUGGESTED By sEARLE.
Senator Gray-what was the schedule sug-
gested by you TO improve it in that way:
MIR. Searles-The schedule as prepared by the
provided that sugar testing no.
above 50 per cent there should be 4 duty of
cent per pound; that there snoald be then on
sugar testing from so to 80 degrees one one-hun-
dredth Of a cent additional for each degree;
from 80 TO s5, two one-hundretths, and on all
sugar above 96. LAO cents 4 explained TO sem
etor Jones that they were putting the least
difference per degree on the lower grades OF
sugar whore the difference in value was great
est He asked me 10 explain. and ! said 10 him
this: ''lOu have already studied This sugar ques-
tion sufficiently 20 know that the commercial
value OF degree of sugar Is six-nundredths of
2 cent" He said "Xcs. that / understand"
Very we'll said, you nave also found that on
q sugar testing 90 degrees 80 cents q pound is
maximum pri'c He said. Yes. think that
is true VERY veil. ! said, III you TAX sugar
costing 2is cents pound one cent. you are tax
ing fhR su gar tusJ 50 Her CEN, aren't your" He
sa d: YES, tllst i g per cent Nr. Searles
followed oCt his reasoning 20 suow that the re-
fined sugar should have SO instead OF 40
Senator Lodge-Did you see Mr. Carlisle while
you were here?
Mr. ssarles-I did called upon Mr., Carlisle
after learning tom Senator Jon = that objection
bad been raised to the sd val1rem form q tariff
because os the possIoili.yci fraud 7 asked MIN
whether in his judgment sucA an arrangement
TRY Department
Senator Loc=e-What was his reply'
WHAT 1l. CARLISLE SAID.
Mr.. searles-H.s reply was that he thoughti IL
was not Objectionable n his 0; inioa: that on thu
contrary it would TO a perfectly safe form Of
collecting the revenue.
senator Lcd@e-W 5uIi yOl prefer the pres
EN- schedule - 4 s.AeJGle which carried - per
cent: ed ySIotel OF rlw and 70 per cent, ad
"a Orcm on -SAEeCg
az. Searlss-i Would efe- the Is per cent
never had that p-nus-i.lln. however, sub
nitted 70 re BY anyD1a
Senator LiuGssy-ls It N the interest OF the
sugar rclRe.s 70 have this b.l, Ike effect AZ
once. in Wow o. ihis fact Or to postpone It until
the 1st OF ,ian1G.y?
IL. searlas -Iy own personal view would be
that there SoGlJ % npsiIiL.; Ealgaj by postpon-
ing IL to the resae :. but j 2i.s never coh-
cessioHs of the 1st OF January Was Tor Ihe benefit
o. the producers of t-is country, in order TO
give them Gn9tAer year cf county.
Senator vrny-BlG You make any such clair1
upon The committee or upon Gny senator that 1t
saould be postponed?
vi. Ses'ies-rhe question Was suggested 70
me, ! co net know b. whom, Is to WheiheT u
would be IN advantage u The company and
think stated thai was indifcren; 10 teai mat
ter. Judged 1t wcs IN Ia interest OF the Amer
lean producers that wo sEcU.d not antagonize IL
at all. But | do NOT think IL would be OF any
benefit 20 our company.
senator Allea-Eoa may state briefly what
the Mckinley act ami tae pending act as the
senate prop ises TO amend 1t. or has amended il,
to the American Sugar Refining Company; which
is the better act for ycu2
Mr. Searlcs The Mckinley bill by far
Senator Aien-Acw nucl?
SIR Searle Il think one-haIf. That is,
think the protection in the margin 70 the refner
IA the proposed schedule is not over one-half Of
what it is in the Mckinley oil.
Toward the close OF tho session Senator
Allen said: ''As member Of this committee I
insist that this witness. Mr.. Saarics and also
The witness Mr.. Hayemeyer, shall be required
10 state the amount OF !unis contributed by
5he American Sugar Refining Company for
political purposes in the years 1892 and 1898.
and that upon failure to testify upon that sub
ect they shall be reported to the Senate as
other witnesses have been reported
NJ. Searies made no response TO the state
ment. and the matter was not again referred
to before the committees adjourned.
Inquiries as 20 Immigration Evils.
The immigration commission appointed by
Carlisle win begin their labors AZ