The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-11-20
ANSWERS ATTACKS
MADE ON ROOSEVELT
Official Gives Governments
Side of Fight on Sugar
Trust.


NEW YORK. Nov 20.-For the first
time since the gigantic Sugar trust
frauds have become the foremost topic
in the business and political worlds it Is
today possible to give the inside story
OF the Sugar trust prosecution as seen
from the viewpoint of both the Taft
and Roosevelt Administrations
From an official who is one of thc
most prominent members OF the present
Administration. ana who was as equal
ly prominent of the preceding one, the
following interesting statement was OIL
tanned today. To was carefully review
ed and approved not only by the official
making its but by a second man equally
prominent IN both Administrations, who
indorsed every feature OF il.
The statement follows:
To Defeat fraud"
The evidence now being published as
an attack on the Roosevelt Administra-
ton is. in fact, the evidence gathered
by that Administration 10 defeat fraud
The whole has long been at the dis
pOsal Of the press and public and it
was because no details of the Sugar
trust prosecution were being carried by
the daily papers that the article en-
titled The Case Of the Seventeen Holes
appeared at Mr.. RoOsevelts suggestion
IN the Outlook. The result of this ar
ticle was an awakening of public inter
est in the matter, and anyone who has
followed the developments can realize
how unjust and absurd are the attacks
now being made.
1.-THE Roosevelt Administration un-
earthed the frauds and started the
prosecutions. The Taft Administration
is continuing the prosecutions and ap-
plying such administrative measures as
are necessary TO guard against a repe-
Lition Of the frauds.
The different prosecutions against
the Sugar trust may be divided up into
three heads, which, taken in their
chronological order, are,
The prosecutions for receiving re-
bates
''The weighing frauds.
THE Earle case.
Beginning Of Fight
'The rebate cases were begun by the
Roosevelt Administration nearly four
years ago. when HeGry L. Stimsou was
appointed United States attorney for
the southern district Of New York, with
especial references to the prosecution Of
these offenses. T.es result was that in
convicted and mace n pay an amount
more than four times any rebate fine
ever collected under the rebate law.
The total fines collected from the
American Sugar Refining Company and
its subsidiary companies were S16S 600,
whereas the. highest fine before that
had been $4,000. Very large al that
period, this fine was Of sufficient to
stop the eVu and establish legal
precedent without however, being an
exaggerated SUM, which might have
provoked q reaction or sentiment.
THE Sugar trust. which mas nearly
20 per cent of the railroad carrying
cut OF New York city, was efIectuaily
throttled as far as rebatng was con-
since the recent agitation was
raised, one question has constantly
been repeated why were not these
people imprisoned
Answer Simple.
'sThe answer is a simple che. At that
period imprisonment was legally impos-
sibIe. The Hepburn law which restored
the suspended penalty of imprisonment
was passed on June 30 1906, under the
Roosevelt Administration and the facts
IN the Sugar trust rebate cases were
previous TO that date The Sugar trust
prosecutions for rebates began during
the debate of the Hepburn law. and
the law which restored the prison pen
atty.
.'The campaign about the sugar re-
bates ended in December 1866, and fl
was November -. 1870, that the first
weighing fraud was discovered. Mr..
Roosevelt and his Attorney General
BOnapart7, took an Immediate and
keen interest i'm the matter and gave
every possible assistance to the prose
cutting officers in charge of the case.
The trial or the penalty suit against
the American Sugar Company tasted
from February 8 10 March 5. 1893 and
resulted IN "a verdict against the COM
paEE, 10 which the press paid little att
tentIOn until Mr. Roosevelt took this
question up personally vita The out
look.
1T IS due largely to Mr.. RooseveIt's
action and the article publ shed c1use-
quently by the Outlook that the Sugar
trust offered TO pay all sums due for the
sugar stolen.
The Settlement.
'-The settlement affected consisted IT,
the restitution Of ths two million dol
lars which had been stolen and the
payment OF a fine Of $4,000 some
people like To believe that the Govern
ment did not recover anything. But
those who wish % have confirmation
Of the fact that the Government did re-
cover everything, have only 90 go and
<Sat7A--t Na-F- a-E Haaf-fH OBJ the
which was made tlr0ugh the secretarv
of the Treasury, based 0u The rgIiqulda-
ton by Collector Loeb of the entries
IL connection with which the fraud was
claimed.
1t IS Important % remember in con-
nectlou with this point, that while the
Case was started under the Roosevelt
Administration. zine settlement original
y approved by Collector Loeb was app
proved ny Sir. Tafrs Secretary of r.a
Treasury and Ar. Tafts Attorney Gen
eral
cit IS impossible 10 separate the two
Administer lions iu the matter Mee---
StiuSou and Deuuisou who had rlare.
OF the matter under the Roosevelt ADJ
ADMINISTRATION were continued uE FreeI-
dent Tart % wind lr GE, aud Nr. Wick
erslam and alT MaeeFaEI have backed
them nap i'm every way in continuing Ihe
policy Of the previous Administration. ''
WANTED-AGENTS.
WANTED agents Apply al 1901 Penn
ave S. E.f before "a. m- after O'Clock