Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1910-04-27
GovERNMENT USED BY BEARS.
That Charge Boldly Made in Senate
by Smith, of SOuth Carolina.

Washington, April 20.--.The inves-
4 tigation by the Department of JUS
tia into the bull cotton pool in New
York drew the hot fire Of Senator
Smith, Of South Carolina, in the SEN
ate this morning. In the course Of a
spirited speech he said the Attorney
General had been caught in a bear
trap.
Beginning with positive and une-
quivocal declaration Of his firm op-
position to gambling in whatever
Ms1m, Senator Smith said It seemed
Strange to him that the legal officers
of the government overlooked the
Patten wheat deal, when the price of
wheat was run up to $1.23, and the
size of loaf Of bread was cores
pondingly reduced, and ignored other
notable campaigns OF exchange spec
uiators. and yet now swoop down on
crowd who are trying to put up
the price OF cotton.
He discussed the high cost Of liy-
ing as the explanation for this activ-
ity on the part Of the Department Of
Justice, but said its awakening was
bit untimely, and should have come
earlier.
Smith and Aldrich Clash.
Getting into a colloQuy with Sena-
tor Aldrich as to the effect OF the
tariff law on high cost of cQmmodi-
ties, he was asked by Mr.. Aldrich If
he had not been in favor Of investi-
Xgating into the cause OF rising
~"prices. Mr.. Smith said he had. Mr..
Aldrich then asked:
You were in favor of mvestigat-
ing other things which might have
caused this increase, but when 1t
came to investigating the cotton in
quiry, YOU insist that the investiga-
ton has taken the wrong track"
In reply, Mr.. Smith wanted to
know what Mr.. Aldrich thought of
the effect Of the tariff in causing
high prices.
The Rhode Island Senator answer
ed that the prosperity OF the coun-
gave TO the tariff the credit for caus-
Ing prosperity. Looked at from this
angle, he admitted that the tariff
may have contributed to high prices.
Mr.. Smiths version Of 1t was that
the tariff had made the prosperity Of
the manufacturers, and then they
had taken a little more prosperity
for themselves out OF the pockets Of
the people.
Fighting Devil with Fire.
Returning to the investigation Of
the Hayne-Brown cotton pool, Sena-
tor Smith continued:
'If you are making Investigations,
you had better Investigate me. am
one Of the men who helped organize
the Southern cotton farmers, who are
fighting the cotton bears. We saw
the only thing to do was to fight the
devil with fire, and we are doing it."
Adverting to the charges that cot
ton bears who had sold cotton short
had started the investigation to pro-
tect themselves, and disturb the. cot
ton market, Mr. Smith said
81 do not charge that the Attorney
General Of the United States Is
party to such trick, but I do charge
he has been made the victim Of
trick"
He said he doubted II the Ha! ne-
Brown pool owned 5000 bales of
cotton, but said the bear spectators
had sold short hundreds Of thousands
OF bales, which they must produce, or
pay the price Of their folly.
The Southern cotton farmers have
grown wise, Mr.. Smith told the Sen
ate, and with money in their pock-
cts, corn in their cribs and cotton In
their barns, were prepared to make a
fight for fair prices for their COM
modities
War OH All Future Deals.
SsA New York, April 20.--AlthOugh
zThe Federal grand jury investigation
on the so-called cotton pool was not
in session to-day. there was plenty Of
activity around the Federal building
to indicate that the government pros
ecutors were preparing for busy
session when the jury renews its
work tomorrow.
The most important developments
OF the early morning was the unOf-
fetal announcement that the present
investigation Is the first move OF the
Federal authorities toward ending all