The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1910-02-16
MILL FORCE COMMITTEE TO
REPORT ON REGULATIONS

weeks an attempt will be made in
the house to force the committee on
rules. Of which Uncle Joe" Cannon
is chairman, to make a report upon
one of the resolutions providing for
an investigation of the sugar trust
scandal by congress. Several such
measures. it viii be recalled, were in.
troduced soon after the present ses.
sion convened.
Not ouly the democrats, but some
of those republicans who on previous
occasions have rebelled at the policies
of the Cannon-DalzeIl stering COM
mittee of the house, win 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 investigation
declare that it is an insult to the ma
tional i Intelligence for the United
States government to take the posi-
tion that $1S-a-week weighers and
checkers on the sugar docks would
steal $3,434,3O4 from thhe government
and lay themselves liable to peniten-
tiary sentences, without the knowledge
of their employers And it is the en-
ployers. and not the hirelings, they
contend, who are the most guilty.
A unique feature of the situation is
that the president is mainly response
bic for the side-tracking Of the in
vestigation 1t will be recalled that
in his message to congress on Decem~
Der Z, 1909, he advised against a
probe, taking the position that it
might give immunity 'and otherwise
prove an embarrassment" in securing
conviction of the guilty parties in
New York.
At the time this message was deliY-
cred the movement for a congression-
al probe was well under way So
loudly had couple of the republicans
cried for an investigation that they
were disinclined to abandon the pro-
iect even at the suggestion of Presi-
dent Taft. These few progressives
and insurgents were called to the
White House. The president strong
ly urged them to abandon further agi-
tation of the subject What reasons
he gave aside from those mentioned
in his message the public does not
know yet. The sugar trust is a good
campaign-fund contributor. Perhaps
that haa something to do with It. Any
way those few republicans who had
been agitating for an investigation by
congress gradually turned their at
tention to other things 1t looked like
the sugar scandal had been SUCCESS
fully bottled and corked.
But Since December Z, there have
been developments which have con-
vinced close observers that the gov
ernment is going to be content with
the Imprisonment Of a few minor EN-
ployes. Here is what the record
shows as to the sugar trust Weighing
frauds
Splitter, the trusts dock superin-
tendent has been sent to the Atlanta
prison for two years; four s1s-a-week
governments sugar-checkers have been
sent to Blackwell's Island for a year
each; Bendernagel, the Williamsburg
cashier is awaiting re-trial; Heike,
the trust secretary is under indict-
ment the sugar trust has made re-
stitution to the government of S2.000,-
000 of stolen duties; refunds by the
National Sugar Refining company and
Arbuckles makes the total amount
stolen from the government SO S,4s4,-
S04.
But not one Of the really big men,
Of the sugar trust has been brought
to bar. much less convicted.
The sugar trust made seapegoat
Of me-" said Splitter, the trusts dock
superintendent after receiveing his two
years sentence 4 was sacrificed so
that the big men might save their own
skins. The government cried for
victim, and the sugar trust answered
BY sacrificing me and four SlS-a-week
checkers. None Of US were guilty Of
my breach Of the law. but somebody
had to SO to prison to save those
higher up.
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