The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1910-02-18
WILL FORCE COMMITTEE TO
REPORT ON REGULATIONS

washington FED. lb.-Within two
weeks an attempt will be made ia
the house to force the committee on
rules, OF which Uncle Joe" cannon
is chairman, 20 make a report upon
one Of the resolutions providing for
an investigation Of the sugar trust
scandal by congress. Several such
measures. it will be recalled, were IN.
troduced soon after the present ses.
sion convened.
+ Not only 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. viii insist that
since recent developments In New
York have indicated that the men
"higher-up" Ia 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 II is an insult to the ma.
tional Intelligence for the United
States government to take the posi-
tion that s1s-a-week weighers and
checkers on the sugar docks would
stsal s3,434,304 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
Bile for the side-traeklng Of the in
vestigation It will be recalled that
IN his message to congress on Deeem-
Der Z. 1908 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 we'll under way So
loudly bad a couple Of the republicans
cried for an investigation that they
were disinclined to abandon the pro-
ieet even at the suggestion Of Presi-
dent Taft These few progressiYes
and insurgents we're called to the
White House The president strong
y 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
campaignfund contributor Perhaps
that had something to do with Il. Any,
way those few republicans who had
been agitating for an investigation by
congress gradually turned their at.
tentlon to other things. L looked like
the sugar scandal had been success.
fully bottled and oorked
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 superln.
tendent. has been sent to the Atlanta
prison for two years: four s1s-a.week
government sugar.cheekers have been
sent to Blackwells Island for year
each; Bendernagel. the Williamsburg
cashier. is awaiting re-trlal. Heike.
the trust secretary, is under lndict.
ment: the sugar trust has made re-
stitution to the government Of $4,000
900 Of stolen duties; refunds By the
National Sugar Refining company and
Arbuckles makes the total amount
stolen from the government ss.4S4..
304
But not one Of the really big mens
OF the sugar trust has been brought
to bar. much less convicted.