The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1910-10-13
Vital Washington News.
By Clyde II TAvenner.

BY clyde lAFenher.
Washington, Oct. 10-Now comes
the remarkable announcement that
the President has pardoned Edward
A. Boyle, John R. Coyle, Patrick j.
HenneSSey and Thomas KehOe, four
former government employees, who
were serving sentences for eonnec-
ton with the 100000 sugar trust
frauds in New York.
This action has raised in the minds
of many the following query: Did
the fact these men hoped for early
pardonS deter them from fully expos
ing the men higher up?"
BY placing steel springs in seven
teen pairs of scales the trust robbed
the government of more than 81, Co.,
600, and after being exposed admit
ted the crime by returning the plum
der. The secretary and a few minor
employees were sent to prison, and
four of them have now been pardon
ed The multi-millionaire sugar
baronS into whose pockets the ST.
600, 600 would have gone had not the
crime been discovered, have gone
scot free.
Democrats and progressive repub-
licans sought in the last congress to
bring about a Congressional inveSti-
cation Of the fraud, believing it ride
ulous for the administration to assume
that a few SIS a week sugar weighcrs
would steal S2,000,0O0 for someone
else and lay themselves liable TO peni-
Tertiary sentences, unless they had
been bribed by the men or agents of
the men who would secure the pro-
ceedS of the fraud.
President Taft himself prevented
the Congressional investigation by
recommending against it in his annual
message to Congress. He took the
view that an investigation might give
Immunity" to the men high up.
Rep, Henry 7. Rainey, Of Illinois,
led the fight for the probe OF the
Swindlc, contending that instead Of
assuring immunity for the big
thieves, an investigation would only
bring out their identity,
1t developed that the President rec
commended against investigation of
the sugar trnsts crime upon the adj
vice of United States Attorney Gener-
al George c. Wickersham.
Mr.. Wickersham was particularly
qualified to give the President advice
and suggestions in matters concern
ing the sugar trust. At the time OF
his appointment to the position of at
torney general-an office which
places him in complete and absolute
charge of the prosecutions of trusts
he was a 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 At
torney Henry W. Taft received
$26, $50, which he turned over to
Strong e. Cadwalladcr,. 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.
Nine resolutions providing for an
investigation of the sugar trust were
introduced in the last session of Con
gress. But the sugar trust happens
to be a friend and ally also stan
campaign fund contributor Of the Re.
publican party, and therefore it is
needless to record that each of the
resolutions were smothercd to death
in committee.
Wastefulness of 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
necessitated a gigantic army of Off
Gals, have increased the price of ev,
erything and have added enormously
to the expenses of the government.
The country is divided into 100 dis
| triotc and norris for tho collection nj