Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-07
INFLUENCE BEHIND THE MEASURE
Sugar Trust and Tobacco People
Brought Pressure.
ARE WILLING TO TRADE

pOrterS oil Ine Dill are ready TO accept Il
provision that breadstuffs-in which Mime
sofa is particularly interested-may be ad-
mitted free 1t is understood also that if
the meat product interests are determined
in opposition to the bill as it now stands,
an amendment excepting meat products
from the tax will be accepted. There is a
disposition to trade anything necessary to
render the passage of the bill perfectly
safe and to quiet the resentment of a con-
siderable commercial element SO long as
the sugar trust and tobacco interests are
cared for
Influence Behind This Bill.
The influences behind this bill. which
neither the republican leaders in Congress
nor the President are able to resist, though
the President in yielding and in urging
others to yield, still insists that the bill is
not a good one, though he accepts it, are
those which Mr.. Oxnard can command. Mr..
Oxnard Is the great original anti-expan-
sionist-a commercial anti-expansionist-yet
men in Congress who profess to want the
American flag carried to the ends OF the
earth yield to his demands. Mr. Oxnard be-
gan his fight against the growth Of this
country by opposing the annexation OF Ha-
waii. One of the most determined fights
ever put up in Congress was that made by
him against the raising of the American
flag over Hawaii, and his method of attack
was similar to the method employed by
him now to have tariff collected upon
Porto Rican sugar and tobacco. He had
letters written to men in Congress by
alleged farmer sugar-beet producers from
various parts of the country, protesting
against the annexation of Hawaii and In
sisted that it was the poor farmer. not the
innocent sugar trust. that wanted protec-
ton. Exactly the same thing was done in
this case. Members of the ways and means
committee attempt 10 justify their support
of the Porto Rican tariff. as the opponents
of the Hawaiian annexation attempted to
justify their position, by asserting that they
were receiving petitions from "the farm
ers against interference with the beet
sugar industry.
Sugar Trust Influences.
1t is asserted on behalf of Secretary Root
that while he wrote the Porto Rican bill
he lid so merely in response TO a request,
and without approving of the proposition.
The facts of the case appear to be that
influences chiefly of the sugar trust and to-
bacco people, were brought to bear upou
the President and Congress at about the
same time. and that the President and re-
publican members of the ways and means
committee consulted together as to what
was best to do in the matter some time
ten days. it is said-before the pubic had
been informed that there was any plan to
overthrow the Presidents recommends
tiOns for free trade with Porto Rico. The
right. but yielded to the pressure brought
to bear in favor of the abandonment of his
position
Mr.. Oxnard's Work.
Before this Mr. Oxnard. it is said. had
held a conference with members of the
Protective Tariff League in New York, and
there had inspired the movement which re-
suited in the present bill 1t is said also
that he had prepared substantially the bill
afterward reported from the ways and
means committee, and that this bill was In
the hands of Mr.. Russell of Connecticut,
who disputes with Mr.. Root the authorship
of the present bill, it being based on the one
he presented. As a matter Of fact, the
Russell bill appears to have been the basis
of the bill prepared by MIR. Root. who un-
dertook merely to put 1t in better shape,
without giving it his approval.
1t appears that, without being too exact
as to mare phraseology, Mr.. Oxnard is real
ly entitled to the credit of the authorship
of the bill. It being done by his inspiration,
If not by his hand.