The Raymer enterprise., 1911-12-28
New NEWS OF YESTERDAY
Sight That Fairly sickensd an
Upright Senator,
Comment. Of WILLIAM P. Frye After
All Members Of, Upesr House ex.
eept Quay HAD Sworn They =
Hadn't specuiated In Sugar.
ev e. ]. EDWARDS.

by Z. J. EOWAHOS.
In the summer Of 1894 q committee
Of the United States senate. Of which
Senator George Gray Of Delaware was
chairman, spent several weeks 10 In.
ves,igating accusations publicly made
that members OF the senate during the
consideration OF the so-called Wilson
tariff bill. had speculsted In the Sc
curlties Of the American Sugar REIN.
ing company, commonly called the
sugar. trust
The sugar schedule Ir:sthe Wilton
arif bill occasioned prolonged and eI.
cited discussion In the sennts. Some
senator's were In favor Of reducing the
tariff on raw sugar 10 nominal point,
while many other senators favored In.
creasfng the rate: and while the dis
cussion was In progress the ACCUSE.
ton was publicly made that various
senators had been specializing In
sugar. and 80 specializing that their
votes upon the sugar schedule would
lavorably affect their venture into
the stock market.
In the cour.e OF the investigation
By the senate into the truth Of these
accusations 1t was suggested that ev.
cry senator be called before the com.
nit;ee and made to testify under oath
whether or not he had been speculat.
Ing In sugar at any time during The
pendency OF the tarin bill. This was
done. and every senator testified. and
every one. with a single exception. de-
MED having directly or indirectly
speculated In the securities Of the
sugar company. The one exception
was the late Senator Matthew Stan
ley Quay Of Pennsylvania. who frank
ly and conrageously testified that lie
had speculated. adding that be had
rlosed his speculative accounts be-
'ore the senate had voted upon the
sugar schedule.
Some weeks after the close Of the
Investigation ! net the late william
p. Frye. senator from Maine and he.
moving that had been among 9TH
crs summoned before the invcstigat.
Irg committee 10 give testimony and
lad been indicted for refusing 10 tell
the committee from whom | obtained
the information on which ! based my
newspaper letters accusing senator's
OF specula,ing In sugar. began Of his
own accord n conversation with me
uron that subject.
y have always liked Matt Quay
personally" said Senator Frye. al.
though when ! first knew OF him
must confess tha, | knew ,ha, he
would go a 'leete' farther In political
management than WAS willing TO so
when ! was chairman Of the Rcpubli.
can state committee In Maine: you
may remember that ! succeeded Mr..
Blaine MS chairman OF that commit
tee. However. that Is neither here
nor there; what | want to say 10 you
now Is that Quay gained my unbound
ed respect and admiration when he
appeared before the sugar committee
and in reply 10 the question whether
or not he had been speculating- In
sugar securities frankly and bluntiy
told the committee that he hnd. |; is
my opinion that there Is today no; a
member Of the senate who does not
entertain for Quay higher feeling OF
respect because he had the courage
TO give that truthful testimony than
he ever felt for him before.
And ! want to add" wen, on the
man who was for SO many years
president pro ten. OF the senate, and
throughout his long public career was
greatly esteemed by the public for
his integrity OF purpose and charac.
ter, Il want TO add that II made me
sick at heart TO see several senators
90 before that committee and deliber.
ntely rerjure themselves, though thsy
knew as well that members OF the
committee and other senator's we're
fully aware that they had been spec.
ulating In sugar. | haven't yet been
able to get rid OF the feeling that this
is one OF the most pitiable exhibitions
ever made OF the sort Of depravity
which men who are In politics and
who are seeking to make money at
tho same time are so likely TO sink
Into"
Copyright. i'i,. by =. J. Edwards. All