The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-04-16
Democratic Congressman
Makes a Serious Charge
Against Government
INQUIRY IS DEMANDED
into The TRANSACTION
Been Turned Down I'm His REQUESTS
for Full Knowledge and Pro-
poses to Take Action

1--WE martln, democrat, or Colorado.
Who. for weeks has been waging a
fight in the House in an effort to
show that the F'riar lands of the Phil
ippine islands are being seized by the
sugar trust" with the acquiesence of
Attorney General Wickersham, tonight
gave to the press an interview in which
'he reviews his efforts. assails the gov
ernment officials alleged to be involved,
charges that information which would
prove his contentious was being with
held by the war department, and de-
nands full congressional inquiry into
the matter.
Mr.. Martin characterizes the action
OF the republican majority OF the House
yesterday In defeating his resolution
calling upon the war department for
Information in regard to the sale of
the Friar lands. as blank citing move
He points out a number of alleged dis
crepancies in the reports sent by the
war department by the House COM
mittee on insular affairs concerning the
Friar land transaction and accuses
the government officials of duplicity
and deceit.
He charges the administration with
having begun policy of exploitation
in the Philippines and declares that
"if 1t has been falsely accused, let it
take off the lid"
luT. A1diliH dnIouuctQ lie WIS pre-
pairing a new resolution of inquiry into
the recent land deal which, he said.
he would introduce in the House
soon as he had finished drafting it.
Mr.. Martins statement follows
If there was ever any doubt as
to the necessity of an investigation
of Philippine affairs it is removed by
the disclosures made by the war do
partment in response to my resolution
OF inquiry. 1 learned three days ago
that the war department had fur
nished Chairman Olmstead of the in
Fular committee what purported to be
the information called for in my reso-
luton and | requested Mr.. Olmstead
to let me see it. This he refused
\ wanted to see this matter before IL
.as returned 70 the House because l
knew that 1t would be accompanied
with motion to table my resolution
ks having Served its purpose, there
by shutting off debate and preventing
further airing of the matter on the
noor. This occurred yesterday, as /
anticipated. 1t was simply blanketing
hove.
"The war department report, upon
examination, fully iustifes such a
move. 1t discloses negotiations be-
tween the war department and attor-
keys representing the purchasers of the
t'riar lands in the Philippines for sew
eral months prior to the sale; also
between the department and the Phil
ippine government whereas the war
department in communication pub
nshed in the Congressional Record on
March % made the statement that its
trst information concerning the sals
sr this estate was received through
The public press. This afflrms my con-
iention that this deal has been under
Nay for months and was practically
tonsummated before Attorney General
Wickersham was asked for an opinion.
ut was also stated that when the Sec
retary of War heard about this matter
through the newspapers, he cabled the
Philippine governor general to mold up
the sale until he could get an opinion
from Attorney General Wickersham. No
such cablegram appears in the informa-
tior now furnished. On the contrary,
there appears one from the war depart
hent to the governor general, dated De-
tember 4, 1903. the very day Wicker
phams opinion was asked for, approving
the sale of the San Jose estate, which
had already been made.
Another cablegram from the governor
reneral antedating the request for WICK
Srshaw's opinion, shows that the sale
Was not to Poole, as heretofore represent
pd by the war department, but to Poole
Sr his nominees. Pooles nominee is, or
will be- subsidiary sugar trust corpora
ion probably the Mindoro Development
sompany, already organized by dummy
ncorporators, under the laws or New
Jersey
.sThen, there is cablegram dated Oc-
sober % from the governor general to
the Secretary of War, stating that Prem
kiss and Poole desired to purchase the
kan Jose estate, which cablegram refers
10 prior negotiations by one Hammond,
with the war department, about these
rriar lands This Hammond. 1t develops,
n a member of the firm OF Strong &
cadwalader of New York, of which Henry
W. Taft is now the second member, to
which rank he was promoted from fifth
place when Mr.. Wickersham left the firm
10 become Attorney General
Mr.. Hammond opened negotiations with
the war department and then, obviously
Tor appearance sake, turned their con-
tummation over to another firm OF at
torneys Hammond represented Haver-
meyer, the purchaser, Poole represented
Havemeyer. Havemeyer is the sugar
trust.
4 IT could point out many other things,
tu. the proper time and place to point
Them out will be in a congressional in
Hestigation. The administration must in
kestigate this matter or stick its head In
the sand like an ostrich to blind its eyes
10 the storm that Is coming.
1T have charged the administration with
kaving begun a policy of unlawful ex-
bloitation In the Philippines and every
development goes to establish the truth
tf the charge. If the administration has
been falsely accused let it take off the
3D."