Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1911-06-09
SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE.
BY CLYDE H. TAvENNER.
WASHINGTON. D. G, June S. rs

Washington. D. c.. June S. 1911.
That the farmers" principally interested
in killing reciprocity are Wall street farm
ers" whose crops" consist chiefly of lumber
and paper trust dividends was revealed in
the testimony taken by the Senate Finance
Committee.
1t was shown that Allen & Graham,
alleged attorneys for the National Grange,
are really professional lobbyists for the big
tarlit trusts. Their argument when seeking
business is that they can pull the necessary
wires in Washington to defeat or bring
about the passage of any legislation they
may be assigned upon.
MIR. Allen was made to admit upon cross
examination that the anti-reciprocity liter
AZURE with which the agricultural districts
have recently been flooded came direct
from the lobbyists headquarters within a
stones throw of Wall street. Mr.. Allen
also admitted that the American Lumber
Manufacturers Association, the Pulp and
Print Paper Association and the American
Wool Manufacturers Association Qumber
trust, paper trust and wool trust respec-
tively) are among those who pledged
themselves to finance this holy crusade for
the farmers.
Allen & Graham have among their clients
some of the best farmers" in Wall street.
The firm was shown to have represented
as lobbyists the Whiskey Security Company
(whiskey trust) and the Standard Oil Com
pany, the letter of which organizations is
headed by John D. Rockefeller, whose &C.
cupation as a big oil farmer" is beyond
controversy.
COMMISSION APPLY NAMED.
It is known now why Senator Aldrich
calls his lame duck commission "mone-
tary' commission. 1t is because it spends
so much money.
The Monetary commission, according to
a treasury report, has expended $207, $780,
48 of the peoples money on European
travel, meetings at famous summer resorts
on manuscripts. book translations, mono
graphs and members salaries. The report
also contains various insinuating entries
that read account clerical force and per-
sons in attendance on commission"
The European trip cost $40 ,25016. 1t
was nice summer trip and anybody who
has travelled with Cook party will tell
you that a select little party of half
dozen can make mighty fine circuit of
the continent for $l9, 25018. The account
is not itemized beyond this statement
Indeed. Senator Aldrich has fixed it so the
commission may spend any amount Of
money it desires without consulting any
one, and without giving detailed report
to any one. The former senator is not
hampered by any formalities whatever
He has only to reach into the treasury,
get money and sign receipt. II is appalling
to contemplate what would happen to the
treasury if all commissions and depart
mentS of the government were permitted
to employ similarly loose business methods
while spending the peoples money.
However, as fresh-air fund to promote
the recuperation of lame ducks the COM
mission is manifestly big success To
this end witness the meeting of the COM
mission at Narragansett Pier in July, 1909.
1t takes money backing to 60 to Narragan-
sett in July. The bill was S3.49374I
And Senator Cummins, of Iowa, is suffi-
GENTLY incOnsiderate Of health of the lame
ducks to contend that the commission Is
absolutely useless to the people, and that
it ought to be abolished.
THE CAT Is Our Or THE BAG.
Soon after President Taft entered the
White House movement was started by
members of Congress to bring about a
Congressional investigation of the sugar
trust II was not partisan movement.
Senator Bohrer, of Idaho Republican, in
troduced sugar investigation resolution
in the Senate, and Campbell. of Kansas,
Republican, introduced a similar one in the
House.
The President was greatly displeased.
He sent a message to Congress advising
against an investigation on the ground that
it might give immunity to the men higher up
and otherwise embarrass the government.
The message was based on an opinion of
United States Attorney General Wicker
aham xAhn uyac inc nirind Waohindtou die
patches at the time with the impression
that he was about to prosecute the trust
heads criminally for the $2,00O,000 sugar
under weight frauds.
Now comes the attorney general with
the statement, made under oath before a
House investigating committee. that he
never believed that the heads Of the sugar
trust could be successfully prosecuted for
the under weight frauds. He also says
they would not have secured immunity
from prosecution had they testified.
In other words. the excuses given by
both the President and the attorney gen
eral as to why the sugar trust should not
be investigated under Republican House
are now admitted to have been but ex-
cuses. The real reason as to why the Re-
publcans were unwilling to permit Con-
gressiona investigation Of the sugar trust
is, therefore, again debatable question.
Was it because the attorney general had
been former sugar trust attorney as well
as a former steel trust Attorney Was il
because Henry P. Taft, the brother of The
President, was then and is now the official
sugar trust Attorney Or was it because
the sugar trust has always been a friend
and ally Of the Republican party, and one
| of its star campaign fund cOntribut0rs2
RUNNING Down A CLUE.
While investigating expenditures in the
| State Department, where IL cost S206 to
shoe four horses a year, the House inves
| tigating committee struck upon clue tend
ing to show that an artist Of the name of
Rosenthal had been paid $3.50 for pOr
trait of Justice W. K. Day and that the
records of the State Department had been
doctored TO show that he had been paid
S2450. ROsenthal testified he signed a
blank voucher when he was given the $3.50.
Subsequently a voucher was made to show
he had acknowledged the receipt Of $2450.
| As il is the dpty Of the committee under
the law to investigate the expenditures in
the State Department. Chairman Hamlin
ordered the department TO produce its
books Instead Of doing so, the Secretary
Of State appeared before the committee
with letter from the President ordering
him not TO comply with the committees
demands.
FIGHTING RECIPROCITY.
The Senate is attempting to kill the
reciprocity bill by so amending II that IL
will not be acceptable 10 Canada.
Senator Root, Of New York is preparing
an amendment in the interest OF the paper
trust. II will be recalled that when reci-
prOcity was before the Senate at the last