Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-07-23
S ENATE SPECULATION
Mr.. Aliens Report on the Late Sugar Invcs-
tigation.
Two Senators Had bought and Sold
StOcks-Thc Remedies He Pro-
pOses-TwO New Bills.

Senator Allen has formulated a draft OF
his report to the Senate as one of the five
sugar investigators In which he states that
it was perfectly demonstrated by the re-
cent investigation that the sugar trust has
given money to both political parties. He
condemns this practice as unjustifed by the
principles OF morality. He adds: Such
contributions can only be prompted by the
expectation Of the contributor that which
ever party shall succeed to the control Of
the government II will look with some de-
gree Of leniency in its legislation upon his
interests. A wisely drawn and judicious
law looking to a prompt and efficient rem
edy for this growing evil should be passed
by Congress and approved by the President
The testimony shows that two Senators
John II. Mcpherson of New jersey and
Matthew S. Quay of Pennsylvania-did en-
gage in specializing in what are known as
sugar stocks, or certificates. during the
tendency of the present tariff bill before the
Senate. Their testimony fully discloses the
necessity for law prohibiting this practice
Speaking entirely apart from the facts
disclosed in this case II is impossible for me
to conceive of a person who is engaged in
discharging the duties of the Office of Uni
ted States Senator, and who may at any
time be required to consider or vote on a
measure affecting the public welfare, TO
divorce his private interests from those of
the public and If he is compelled to neglect
the one or the other l think we have a
right to conclude that he will invariably
neglect the public interest to preserve his
own.
The evidence does not show that the
sugar trust had any direct influence in pro-
curing the presentation to the Senate Of
the committee amendment to the sugar
schedule although l think that schedule in
al -
TEN Of taxation, is entirely satisfactory to
the trust.
II am thoroughly convinced that no Sem
ator or Representative should ever hermit
himself to be approached upon any subject
connected with legislation by those repre-
Sentng private or special interests EXCEPT
on such occasions when such persons m az
be heard by the committee of which he is
a member, exactly as they would lie heard
in a court of justice in a case there, pend-
ing and to be determined. | know of no
more reason why Senator or Representa-
tive should be approached, talked with ana
importuned 10y person representing a
special interest to be affected by legislation
than that judge before whom a case is
pending and is to be tried should he ap-
preached by any one OF the litigants and
the case DE privately argued and presented
to him out of court. The place to present
all arguments is in the committee room be-
fore committee or a subcommittee. This
being done and the committee fully inform
eu tne RUE prevailing IN courts should be
Observed.
The Senator calls attention to the refusal
of certain witnesses to testify, and says:
ITO turn such witnesses over to the grand
jury of the District of Columbia for indict-
ment and prosecution and not require them
to be brought before the bar of the Senate
to purge themselves of contempt, and, fail
ing to do so punish them for a refusal is
practical abdication of the authority of
the Senate, and leaves ii possible for ire
SnnnSihlp nprSOnS a 20 hap
selves, to make serious charges against the
integrity of those in authority, and, when
called on to disclose their knowleig of the
facts, to hide themselves behind the es-
sertion that there is 70 authority in tine
Senate to compel disclosure.
Thus il will be seen that under such
circumstances investigations of this char
acter eventuate nothing. There must be a
radical reform in this respect before the
public can expect congressional investiga-
tionS to be of any practical value"
He concludes by recommending the pass
age Of two new laws, one prohibiting the
speculation of Senators IN stocks affected
by legislation, ana the other designed to
punish recalcitrant witnesses examine! by
senatorial investigating committees.