New-York tribune., 1894-06-11
PROVED UNUORTHINE.SS.

PROVED INV ORIHJNENS.
The debate in the Senate has not been use
less nor a wan1on waste Of time 1t has brought
before the country very clearly the entire I'M
worthiness Of the Democratic party for the re-
sponslbilitcs of government. The testimony
before the committee which IS labOrlOuSly avoid
ing investigation Of the Sugar scandal, and the
whole conduct OF the party in power regarding
the sugar duty. make It's unftncss for public
trus; diSgraccfuy clear The House had passed
4 Tariff for Deficit. The bill was n confession
OF most shameful incompctcncy, and prominent
Democrats in comments upon II declared with
emphasis that II must be greatly altered. lle
House had thrown away $1G,OnOooo OF revenue
now derived from duties on imports. III lis Free
Trade fanaticsm. had swcetcned the WAsR"y
ring but had not dared TO impose other duties
to make up the deficit. AT once prominent
Democrats of the Administration and or thc
Senate according 10 organs of that party. d'-
clarcd that Il duty on sugar must be added III
order 70 raise Il sufficient revenue.
The Senate committee went to work aVoWedly
to make the bill yield revenue enough ana TINS
It could have done by Il simple duty Of cent
per pound on all sugar. in accordance with the
formal pledge Of the Democratic party that 1t
would eliminate Protection. But no sooner was
this proposed than leading Democrats warned
the committee that the Sugar Trust, being com
posed almost wholly of Democrats whose heavy
contributions 70 the campaign fund had been
secured ~ promises of legislative favor. must
be placaicl These statements were 50 publicly
made that Senator voorhees,. chairman of ihr
commi,tcc thought il necessary 10 declare 7hat
the Sugar Trust should not get any favor what
ever with his consent. He docs not seem 10
have owned his own vote.
The bill was finally reported with protective
duty for the Trust 10y the deciding vote or
senator Mcpherson. whose transaction In Sugar
stock he is still explaining. But the protective
duty was not high enough ana Senators enough
were mutinonS to cndanger the success Of the
bill 4 caucus was held. and Senators Jones ana
Vest were authorized 10 make such changes ~
might lee found necessary. With a cynical Waht
of sclfrcSpcct and contempt for public opin-
ion. Senators of the majority bndy pledged
themselves lo vote for any bargain thai might
BE- made
Ii does not matter whether this hndioId
commitment to the Bill of Sale was secured
by shares IN a profitable speculation or not
The speculation wds in progress. rs every ma"
in Wall Street knew. with the best posSlhi"
information from hour 10 hour IN regard 10 me
steps proposed and the things done in secret
meetings Of the Tarif-nXerS NJ Washington
| If Democratic Senators neglected 10 get VAIN
able privileges on Sugar stock which guarail-
tccl a share In profits without any rsk OF loss
they were am9Ziugy duh. Their votes Wcr"
wanted. and by men who were abnhdan'ly ahl'
f. get Them. If the so-callcd Investigating Com
mittcc should incauiiOnsly cali either 81 several
nrouincnt broker, to testify what transactions
in Sugar resulted in profits for people al WASH
ington. they would very likely find out much
that The Democrats Of the committee do not
| desire To know.
| With Democratic Senators pledged to vol" for
anv Bill Of Sale that might be- found nec~s-
Soy, it IS not strange that MeSSrS. Jones ana
Vest found il necessary 10 satisfy the sugar
| Trust very completely. II appears from Sen
ator's statement that when 4 private meeting
was held 10 consider what shoul be- done about
sugar. Mr. IIavcmeycr OF tAc Trust. "happ'n'd'
| 10 be In another room in the private nous"
where The meeting was h.li. anJ al least one
Senator was requested to SEQ him" and did see
him IN private Mr Haycmcyrr has not been
permitted by The committee a. yet TO state how
| he happened 10 know about This meeting. and
| 10 be- present in the same private house ready
1 10 be seen. 1t does not reaY matter. These
! accidents do happen when there is much sugar
| around.
The measure finally reported not only gave
| the Trust dincrcntal duty for protection
| equivalent 10 42A cents per 100 pounds but
also postponed to next January the enforce.
mcnt of the new duty on raw sugar This was
promptly explained by Democratic correspond
| entS 10 De- for The purpose Of enabling The
| rriiners 10 make their arrangements In advance
| as 10 the next crop Of sugar. AZ the Trust con
| command money enough 10 buy In advance all
| the raw sugar ii will need 10 refine for a year,
| and no other buyer can command snch sum,
| the power Of The monopoly 10 pocket the tax
| that mny be imposed on the consumers IL Oh
vious. The Tri.t has been liberal 10 the Demo
| cratic party. and - some influential persons In
particular In return, Congress is liberal to the
| Trust.
! This IS the Democratic mode Of raising revc-
| nuc This is sample Of the purity ana re-
! form which were ushcrcd in by The election Of
| Il Democratic President ana Congress