The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-05-24
CONTRIBUTED S5OO,OOO.
The Sugar Trust Contrib uted That to the
Democratic Campaign Fund.


WASHINGTON, May 24-The senate
bribery investigation committee today
began the inquiry into the connection of
the sugar trust with the tariff legislation.
+. j. Edwards the author of the "HOl-
land' letter in the Philadelphia Press
was before the committee for several
hours. Owing to the fact that the commit
tee sat behind closed doors, and the addi
tional fact that after emerging from the
committee room Mr.. Edwards was un-
willing to discuss the proceedings, de-
tails of the inquiry cannot be had.
1t is known however, that Mr.. Ed
wards presented written memorandum
giving some of the sources of the infor-
nation contained in his letter, and stat
ing that he could not give his authority
in other cases and why he could not
Carlisle Revised Sugar Schedule.
He declined to state his authority for
the information contained in his letter to
the effect that Secretary Carlisle had ap-
peared before the tariff sub committee,
consisting of Senators Jones, Vest and
Mills, before the original senate bill was
reported and had insisted that sugar be
given protection because of the party
pledges made previous to the election, or
for the statement that Mr.. Carlisle had
himself revised and written the sugar
! schedule.
100000 for Democratic Victory
This schedule as prepared by Mr. Car
obtained The fact could be definitely
ascertained by suinmoning members of
the finance committee. Other state
ments in his letter, the authority for
which Mr.. Edwards declined to give
were those that 100000 was the amount
to the Democratic campaign
fund in 1892 and that
member of the firm of Moore g. Schley,
who he said in his letters were Senator
Brice's brokers, had been in possession
of the latest amendments which had
been agreed upon to the tariff bill before
the time, when Senator Voorhees, still
insisted on the floor of the senate that
no amendments had been agreed to.
1t was his information that this firm
had a representative in Washing
ton who was the man the amend
ments were handed. He could not
recall this mans name, but he suggested
it would be comparatively easy matter
for the committee to establish his iden-
tity.
With reference to the contribution of
half million to the campaign fund in the
last presidential election, Mr.. Edwards
said it would be a breach of faith to re-
veal the name of his authority. He also
stated that it was his information that that
money had not been contributed directly
to the national committee but had been
given to other organizations, where it
was understood the money would be used
in ways to result to the benefit of the
national campaign.
Nor was his information positive that
the sugar trust was such as had made the
contribution; it may have been made by
or through individual means of this trust
with the understanding that in the case
of success. the trust should be protected
against damaging Legislation. He in
stanced in support of this Information, a
statement made by Governor Waller, of
Connecticut, before an Investigating
committee in that state, in which he said
Governor Waller had stated that wealthy
men of New York had contributed $780,
600 towards Democratic success in Con-
necticut
PopuIists Profited by 1t.
Mr.. Edwards said it was his informa-
tion that half of this amount had been
contributed by Mr. Havemeyer, and that
the'other half had been raised by Z. &.
Benedict. In the case of Colorado, which
had been stated in his letter had been
carried for the Populists by the aid of
money thus obtained, he said that it was
a notorious fact that the leading mem
bers of the Democratic party in Colorado
had been in consultation with the wealthy
Democrats of New York prior to the
election.