Daily Arizona silver belt., 1910-04-14
h The Halls of Congress
BY TAV,
Special Washington Correspondence

WASHINGTON, D. C., April 13.-The Taft administration is still fighting desperately to prevent an investigation by congress of the sugar trust frauds.
 The administration clings to the position that an investigation might give "immunity'' to the guilty parties.
 Those who desire a congressional probe con tend that the really big thieves-the multi-mil- llonaires who would have pocketed the $2000,- GOO of stolen import duties had not their crime been discovered-are getting more immunity through congress- failure to investigate than they could possibly secure through an investga- tion.
 One of the remarkable features of the situa- ton is that the all-powerful steering committee of congress refused to allow a resolution provd- ing for an investigation of the sugar trust to even come before the house for vOte The members of the committee on rules and few other men are to all practical ends doing all the | legislating on matters concerning the welfare of the sugar trust
 | An examination of the records of the present congress reveals the fact that every bill or reso- lution, touching either the proposed investiga- tion of the American Sugar Refining company the sale of 55000 acres of rich Friar sugar lands to the Havemeyer sugar interests in alleged vio- lation of the organic law of the Philippines, or aiming in any manner at the security of the | trusts monopoly of the sugar markets, has been | lchloroformed in committee.
 | Here are the facts, copied from the records of the Sixty first congress of the United States: House Concurrent Resolution No. A, provid- l ing for the appointment of committee to in lvestigate crimes of sugar trust; introduced De cember g. 1909, by Representative P. P. Camp bell Republican, of Pittsburg Kans; referred | by Speaker Cannon to committee on rules; nev- CT afterward heard of
 House Resolution No. 164, providing for the investigation of frauds perpetrated upon gov ernment by the American Sugar Refining com pany introduced December 10, 1909, by Repre- sentative A. J. Sabath of Chicago; referred to committee on rules; no further record.
 House Resolution No. 392, providing for an investigation of the sale by the government of 55,000 acres of Philippine sugar lands to the | Havemeyer interests; introduced February IA | by Representative John A. Martin of Pueblo, Colo; referred to rules committee; died in con- mittee.
 | House Resolution No. 480, requesting that the president inform the house "'what facts, if any, now exist which make inexpedient" an investi- gation of the sugar underweighing frauds by congress; referred to committee on eXpendl- lures in the treasury department; no action; measure introduced February 2S by Representa- tive J. J. Fitzgerald of New York City. i Joint Resolution No. 173, providing for con gressional investigation of sugar scandal in all its phases; introduced March 15 by Representa- tive Henry T. Rainey of Carrollton, Ill.,; re- ferred to rules committee; no action.
 House Resolution No. 562, for inquiry to as- certain whether the American Sugar Refining company has been defrauding the government introduced March 31 by Representative A. w. Rucker of Fort Logan, Colo; referred to rules committee; no action.
 House Resolution No. 575, demanding that house be furnished with full information con- corning sale of Philippine sugar lands to sugar trust interests; referred to committee on insular affairs; no action.
 That the Merchant Marine League of the United States, the organization which attacked Representatives Steenerson of Minnesota and Kustermann of Wisconsin because they are op- posed to the $5,OOO000 Humphrey ship subsidy bill, spent large sums to bring about the passage of that measure by congress, has already de veloyed at the hearings of the special commit tee appointed to investigate the activity of the organization EX-Member of Congress Me- Cleary of Minnesota testified before the commit tee that the league had compensated him for making pro-ship subsidy speeches, but that the amounts would not aggregate much over hls eX-
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