San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1894-08-13
LATE TELEGRAPH NEWS.
SUGAR Is FREE.
WILSON'S SENSATIONAL STATE
MENT BEFORE THE CAUCUS.
"a Battle Between the American
People and the Sugar Trust"
Is Ended.

for the caucus, the members began
to arrive at the capitol and hasty
consultations were held on the
course to be pursued. Speaker
Crisp was joined in his private
office by Chairman Wilson.
Representatives Turner, McMillen,
and Montgomery, making the full
membership of the House Demo-
cratic conference committee. Rep
resentative Breckenridge, Of Ar
kansas, an advisory member of
the conference, was also present.
The meeting lasted until the time
for the caucus to begin. In the
meantime there was a scene of
animation on the floor of the House.
Representatives Tracey, Strauss and
others passed among their associ-
ates and stiffened up the sentiment
of loyalty to the conferees. 1t was
apparently uphill work, however.
At 10 o'clock Speaker Crisp and
all the conferees filed in and took
seats in body in the forward part
of the Democratic side. There
was an ominous silence as
they came in. One hundred and
fifty-three Democratic members
were on the floor. Chairman Hol-
man called the caucus to order
promptly and the call for the meet
ing was read. Roll call then fol-
lowed and Chairman Wilson took
the floor Immediately after and be-
gan a statement of the situation
calmly and dispassionately. The
members crowded eagerly about
him, listening intensely to every
word. Seldom was such Gag
erness manifested at any
caucus. Wilson began with
recital of the difficulties that had
been encountered, treating each
stage of the situation with much
detail. He said each step had
been pursued with an ardent de-
sire to support with honor the de-
sires of the House and to resist
what was regarded as unreason-
able demands of the Senate. He
did not cOnfine himself to gener-
alization. He took up the contested
schedules, particularly sugar, coal
and iron ore. and reviewed the diff
ferences in the conference on these
main items. He took up each
proposition on sugar and spoke of
the vast profits to the sugar trust
which would result on many of
these propositions. He would not
indulge in the sharp criticism,
that was expected, of the motives
OF the Senate conferees.
Wilson spoke Of the fight
made by the House conferees
for specific duty on sugar, on the
ground that under the advalorem
system it would be impossible to
tell, on account of the invoice me-
thods, what the exact advantage
which would acrue to the sugar
trust would be. He made the re-
markable statement that he had
been credibly informed and be-
lieved that the sugar trust had,
anticipating the enactment by the
OtudIt vi 6uSal oShOuuiOs
purchased one hundred and
twelve millions Of dollars
worth of raw sugar. If this
was true he said, the profits accru-
ing to the trust from this invest
ment in advance of the enactment
of Senate schedule, would be at
least $40,0O0,0O0. Wilson also
pointed at length to the embarrass-
ment attending the efforts to adj
just the coal and iron schedules.
"The great BATTLE" said Wilson,
warming up to his subject, "is be-
tween the American people and
the sugar trust. 1t is battle in
which the trust has taken the peo-
pie by the throat, and it will never
end until we throw off the grip"
There was enthusiastic applause
at this. He proceeded to state that
the House conferees had been will
ing to concede almost everything
except these vital items: sugar,
iron and coal. That the Senate
conferees had also seemed willing
to concede much and held much the
same views, but were apparently
dominated by the knowledge that
if they conceded what they them
selves were willing to concede the
bill could not pass and an agree
ment would be useless.
Wilson concluded by saying he
had now become satisfied it was