The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-05-13
IS WlCKERSHAM
DUPE OF BEARS?
Department OF Justice May Have
Been Used as Market
Agency.
HOUSE ASKS FOR FACTS
Wants Attorney-Genesal to Tell.
About Investigation OF
Cotton Deal.
HOUSE ASKS FOR FACTS

Washington, D. c.. May 12.-Tht
House to-dny passed a resolution call.
ing upon the Acknowledgement for al
facts In his possession relating to hi.
Investigation of an alleged violation
of the Sherman antitrust act on the
part Of the men carrying on stock
operations for the purpose of advanc-
ing the price OF cotton.
The resolution also inquiries wheth-
er the department is conducting or
contemplates conducting an investi
cation relating to combinations of
persons operating for the purpose of
reducing the price of cotton and also
prosecution was ever begun against
any persons for conspiring to advance
the price of wheat in 1909.
This resolution was introduced in
the House by Mr.. Craig. of Alabama,
being favorably reported to-day by
Chairman Parker, of the Committee on
the Judiciary, and passed by the
House after a brief explanation Mr..
Craig, speaking of the action taken,
said
THE resolution passed by the House
to-day Is the resolution introduced by
me some days ago to institute an in
qury by the House as to the facts
upon which the Attorney General
bases his proceedings against certain
cotton merchants and their associates
whom he. charges with violation of
the Sherman antitrust law.
"The Attorney General now has a
chance to show the country whether
IL. ct fp,. !,
charges or whether. as has been
charged in newspapers all over the
country, he has been duped into al
loving his department and the power
full agencies of the government to be
used In the interests of cotton gamb-
lers of New York, who, In an endeav
or to break the market and force
prices down, had sold cotton that they
did not own"
Probable Results.
Asked as to the results of the reso-
luton. Mr.. Craig said:
"The fact that my resolution was
passed almost unanimously by the
House shows.1 think. that the coun-
try at large is anxious to see fair
play. believe that the result of this
congressional Investigation will be
either. that the. Attorney General will
be forced to admit that there are no
real grounds of prosecution against
the Southern cotton merchants or. ii
there are such grounds, that he will
be forced to Investigate the other side
of the question and prosecute the men
who for years have conspired to make
cheap cotton.
II believe also that he will be
forced to investigate the alleged
wheat corner of last year because by
the passage of this resolution 1t Is
brought clearly before the country
that while men alleged to be in COM
bination to advance the price of cot
ton are being prosecuted. those who
cornered wheat last year and ran the
price up TO s1.35 a bushel have not
been molested
"The ultimate result of this agita-
ton, think. will he to make more
pronounced the fact that the men who
are selling cotton that they do not
own and do not expect to deliver and
who are therefore gamblers, pure and
simple, are going to he forced to quit
their nefarious practices and thereby
,leave5a clean and honest market for
both the producer and the cotton
merchant who buys and sells the ac-
tual staple whether for present or
future deltveries,n