The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1910-02-18
HOUSE To NOW
FORCE REPORT
CONGRESS WANTS TO HEAR
FROM COMMITTEE WHICH HAS
RESOLUTIONS CALLING FOR
SUGAR TRUST INVESTIGATION.
(By Tav.)


Washington, Feb. 17.-Within two
weeks an attempt will be made in the
house to force the committee on rules,
of which Uncle Joe" Cannon is chair
man, to make report upon one of the
resolutions providing for an investi-
cation of the sugar trust scandal by
congress. Several such measures, 1t
will be recalled, were introduced soon
after the present session convened.
Not only the Democrats, but some
of those Republicans who on previous
occasions have rebelled at the policies
of the Cannon-Dalzell steering COM
mittee of the house, will insist that
since recent developments in New
York have indicated that the men
higher up" in the sugar weighing
frauds are not to be prosecuted, a
congressional probe ought to proceed
without further delay.
Those who desire the inyestiation
declare that it is an insult to the ma
tional intelligence for the United
States government to take the posi-
ton that $18-a-week weighers and
checkers on the sugar docks would
steal $3,434,304 from the government
and lay themselves liable to peniten-
tiary sentences, without the knowl-
edge Of their employers. And it is
the employers, and not the hirelings,
they contend, who are the most guilty
A unique feature of the situation
is that the president Is mainly re-
sponsible for the side-tracking of the
investigation. It will be recalled that
in his message to congress on Dec. Z,
1909, he advised against a probe, TAX
ing the position that it might give
immunity "and otherwise prove an
embarrassment" in securing 'convic-
ton of the guilty parties in New
York
At the time this message was deliv-
cred the movement for a COMPRESSION
loudly had a couple of the Republi-
cans cried for an investigation that
they We're disinelined to abandon the
project even at the suggestion of
President Taft. These few progress
ives and insurgents were called to
the White House The president
strongly urged them to abandon fur
Their agitation of the subject What
reasons he gave aside from those
mentioned in his message the public
does not know yet. The sugar trust
is good campaign fund contributor.
Perhaps that had something to do
with 1t. Anyway, those few RepubIi-
cans who had been agitating for an in
Vest1gation by congress gradually
turned their attention to other things.
1t looked like the sugar scandal had
been successfully bottled and cork
ed.
But since Dec. there have been
developments which have convinced
close observers that the government
is going to he content with the i'm
prisonment of a few minor en-
pfoyes. Here is what the record shows
as to the sugar trust weighing
frauds:
Splitter, the trusts dock superinten-
dent, has been sent to the Atlanta
prison for two years; four $1S-a-week
government sugar checkers have been
sent to Blaekwell's Island for a year
each; Bendernagel, the Williamsburg
cashier, is awaiting retrial; Hei1Ie, the
trust secretary, is under Indictment;
the sugar trust has made restitution
to the government of $2,000.000 of
stolen duties: refunds by the National
Sugar Refining Company and Ar
buckles makes the total amount
stolen from the government S3,434,-
304.
IoT hoI ohC VI LI4e I6dlly DlS uISu
of the sugar trust has been brought
to bar, much less convicted.
The sugar trust made a scapegoat
of mel' said Splitter, the trusts dock
superintendent, after receiving his
two years sentence. Il was sacri-
feed so that the Big men night save
Their own skins. The government
erie dior victim, and the sugar trust
answered by sacrificing me and four
s1S-a-week checkers. None of us was
guilty of any breach OF the law, but
somebody had to go to prison to save
those higher up"