Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1910-10-14
Vital Washington News.
BY TAvENNER.
Special Correspondent of The Sentinel.
Washington, D. c., Oct. 10, 1910.

government employees who were serving
sentences for connection with the $4,000
900 sugar trust frauds in New York.
This action has raised in the minds Of
many the following query: Did the fact
that these man hoped for early pardon de-
ter them from fully exposing the men
higher upS"
By placing steel springs in seventeen
pairs of scales the trust robbed the gov
eminent of more than $2,000.000, and
after being exposed admitted the crime
by returning the plumber The secretary
and few minor employees were sent to
prison, and four of them have now been
pardoned. The multi-millionaire sugar bar
ons, into whose pockets the $2,000,000
would have gone had not the crimes been
discovered, have gone scot free.
Democrats and progressive Republicans
sought in the last Congress to bring about
Congressional investigation of the fraud,
believing it ridiculous for the administra-
ton to assume that few $15-a-week
sugar weighers would steal $2,000,000
for some one else and lay themselves LA
BILE to penitentiary sentences, unless they
had been bribed by the men or agents of
the men who would secure the proceeds of
the fraud
President Taft himself prevented the
Congressional investigation byrecommend-
ing against it in his annual message to
Congress. He took the view that an in
vestigation might give Immunity" to the
men high up.
Representative Henry T. Rainey, of ILL.,
nois, led the fight for the probe of the
swindle, contending that instead of assur-
ing immunity" for the big thieves. an
investigation would only bring out their
identity.
1t developed that the President recon-
mended against investigation of the sugar
trusts crime upon the advice of United
States Attorney George C. Wickersham.
Mr.. Wickersham was particularly quail
fed to give the President advice and sug-
gestions in the matters concerning the
sugar trust At the time of his appoint
ment to the position Of attorney general
an Office which places him in complete
and absolute charge of the prosecutions of
trusts-he was sugar trust attorney.
Mr.. Wickersham and Henry W. Taft, the
brother of President Taft, were members
of the firm of Strong & Cadwallader. of
New York For services rendered the
sugar trust Attorney Henry W. Taft re-
ceived $26.750 which he turned over to
Strong & cadwallader and the last thing
Mr.. Wickersham did before starting in to
represent the people was to draw down
and pocket his share of the sugar trust fee.
WAsTEFULNEss Or PROTECTION.
The wastefulness of taxes collected from
the people under the tariff laws is not one
of the least vicious, features Of protection.
American customs duties have necessi-
tated a gigantic army of officials, have in
creased the price of everything and have
added enormously to the expenses of the
government.
The country is divided into 100 districts
| and ports for the collection Of duties. Oi
these the expenses in forty are greater than
the receipts, the cost of collection ranging
for every dollar collected, from Sl.58 to
S309.4l.
In the Alexandria. Va, district, the
government spent $l.224 to collect $40.
In the Annapolis, Md. district, it cost
1856 to collect $500.
In the ST. Mary's. Ca, district, it cost
1898 to collect $15.25.
In the Coos Bay, Ore. district, it cost
81, 464 to collect $79.8l.
And this years report of the secretary
of the treasury is not as bad as last years,
which showed that in one instance the
government had paid two men SLIGO to
collect go cents.
The PRESIDENT Is SLIGHTLY In ERROR.
In his speech at the Republican National
League dinner in New York, President Taft
said Our Democratic friends are saying
that if the Democratic party came into
power II would reduce the expenses Of this
government $300.000.000."
1t would seem that Mr. Tafts quarrel is
rightly not with the Democrats but with
Nelson W. Aldrich. the Republican chair
man Of the finance committee of the Re-
publican senate. II was Senator Aldrich
who stated on the floor of the senate that
business man could run the government
$500. 100000 cheaper than It's now being
run.
The RAILROADS ARE GREEDY.
The railroads of the country, acting to-
gether. are cOntending before the interstate
commerce commission that they should be
allowed to raise their freight rates so that
they may collect an additional $500, 000,-
900 from the public each year.
The railroads aver that the advanced
rates are necessary because Of increased
wages being paid trainmen and other in
creases in operating costs. This cOnten-
ton is not borne out, however. in the re-
port on railroad earnings just issued by
the interstate commerce commission, which
shows
First that the profits of the railroads for
the last fiscal year were $40, 100000
more than in the previous fiscal year.
Second. that the rate Of increase in
railroad profits was Is Is per cent, while
increased operating costs, with the much
boosted increase in WAGES included. amount
to only 2.38 per cent.
DEMOCRATIC TEXT Book
Judging by the number Of requests that
have reached Democratic headquarters fOr
the Democratic text book for 1910, this
publication has found great favor with
Democratic workers. Authorities have
pronounced the book to be the best work
on the tariff now in print. Those who de-
sire a copy Of the text book should write
Immediately. before the supply is exhaust
ed. to Mr.. F. F. Garrett, Treasurer Nation
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