Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-06-19
Mr.. HAVEMEYEFS OBJECT
Desired to Provoke a Tariff Discussion in
Order to Protect Trusts.
Has Contributed to Roth Political
Campaign Funds-HeveIand's
Alleged Actson.

1t is shrewdly concluded by some of those
who know something about Havemeyer's
methods that his real object in declaring
before the industrial commission that pro-
1ecuVe tariff is the mother of trusts Is to
provoke a tariff discussion in politics
again, so as to distract attention from
olher issues and to protect as far as pos
slbie the trusts from the danger of being
made an important issue in the campaign.
Inc sugar trust has little to fear from
tariH agitation. 1t is a matter of authentic
history that the sugar trust has been the
central subject of discussion during the
consideration of every tariff measure be-
lore Congress within the past several
years, and that, Notwithstanding the ora
torlcal attacks upon the trust, immense
sums of money have been made by the
manipulation of the stock by those who
could control 1t, and that no matter what
legislation resulted the stock has been
higher after the enactment of the law than
1t was Immediately before. The belief is
very widely entertained that the dividends
OF the sugar trust are dependent more
upon the manipulation of the stock than
upon the profits of the rafineries, and it is
very well known that Hapemeyer and his
associates have not been at any time seri-
ously alarmed over tariff legislation, how
ever they might talk in the hearing of the
public.
Contributes to Boz IN Parties.
1t is said with referenc& to Havemeyer's
politics that he has none 10 interfere with
his business. 1t has long sbeen said among
politicians that the sugar trust contributed
to both parties, SO as to Keep in with BOTH
1t is very generally accepted that when
Cleveland was defeated by Harrison, Mr.
Havemeyer was not one Of E4Cleveland's s sup
porters, but that at the sneXt election he
supported Cleveland, the trust contributing
very largely to his campaign fund at a
critical time in the canvass.
One thing concerning this, transaction
which has never been Published is that just
before Clevelands last election Mr.. Whit
ney called a conference of some of the
leading democrats in New York and sought
to secure enough pledges to satisfy the
sugar trust that it's interests would be
safe in the hands of the democrats if Cieve-
land were elected. This was asked in the
interest of Mr.. Cleveland, and it is said
that the trust was SO we'll satisfied that a
very large sum of money was contributed
and certain Influences were set to work
which, it was believed turned the tide and
resulted in Cleveland's election.
Cleveland's Alleged Position.
Some of the bitterness felt against Mr..
Cleveland Is said to be due to his bad faith
in publicly assuming an atttttnde of antag-
onism toward men VINO. whether they
were parties to the agreement or not, were
carrying out its terms with peculiar exact
ness. There are people who, possessing
Information as to this transaction, believe
that Cleveland owed his election to the
sugar trust, and that whatever his attitude
may have appeared to the public to be, he
was not ignorant of the obligation.