The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-06-12
SUGAR MEN Think
THEY HAVEN'T HAD
FAIR TREATMENT
Led to Believe There
Was Nothing to Fear
From Wilson.
ADMIT LOBBYING
TO PRESERVE DUTY
Witnesses Tell of Countrywide
Campaign Against Free Sugar,
Which They Say Would
Bring Ruin to Their Busi-
ness-Deny Doing Any
thing Legitimate.

Washington, June il.-lnvestiGation
OF the sugar lobby" by the Senate
lobby committee to-day was to q
marked extent, controversy over
whether President Wilson had given
the sugar producers reason to believe
they would have nothing TO fear
from free sugar under his administra-
tion.
Out of the days testimony, in which
Louisiana and Hawaiian witnesses re-
peatedly declared they had not re-
ccived fair treatment from the Presi-
dent, and had been mislcd by others
as 10 his purpose. the committee sue
ceeded in drawing what are believed
TO be some of the most important
facts thus far developed. Some of the
sugar men frankly admitted they con-
stituted :, lobby although they OBJ
jectcd to the suggestion that any Of
their actions had been "insidious," or
in an way iiiegitimatc or under
handed They admitted that compre
hensivc campaigns had been organized
and carried out. to create back fires
oil Senator'S and Representatives. from
their own states in the hope OF win
ming their support to the antifrcc
sugar side.
Prosperity at stake.
The prosperity of Louisiana was at
stake" said Jules Godchaux. Il sugar
planter. We tried TO get the people
We did busiuess with 10 write Sena-
tors and Representatives. telling them
that free sugar would destroy the
business of the STATE. We asked them
to wire ana write Washington, and to
ask ;hc merchants they did busin SIS
with in tho United States to do the
same. We tried to csta hlish an end
less chain Of letters and tclcerams to
draw attention OF Congress to our ar
gumcnts.'
John T. Hamburg, OF New York.
manager of "A large Hawaiian sugar
firm, admitted his firm had urged ali
| OF it's 1900 or more customers to
write 10 Senators and Representatives
pointing out the destruction to bust
ness hat would follow free sugar
I'VE had to do that to overcome
some of the effects of the msstaic-
ments that had been made in the free
sugar campaign he said.
Plainly rcscntful Of the Presidents
recent statements as u the operati.y
of an "insdious lobby" in Washington
the Louisiana and Hawaiian sugar
men enlivencd the hearings with fre
qucnt attempts 10 tell of the pledges
they believed they had received that
sugar would not be made entirely
free Jules GodchaUX and Edward r..
Dickinson. the two Louisiana wit
to sec tho President, and had been in
formed that Ii, had all the Information
he waited IN the sugar tariff.
Mr Dickinson declared the Presi-
dent had never talked with any zone
/ practical sugar man" about the Louis
lana sitiaucn. and that he had Sc
cured most ot his Information from
National Committeeman Robert Ewing,
! newspaper man. Sol WaXlar. IL
| banker. Representative Broussard and
! Senator kan:,doll and Thornton
Il have never seen Mr. Wilson on
| the sugar subject" Interrupted Sera-
tor Thornton. who way sitting; in the
committee room
Believed Him "Snfe."
/ Charges of the sugar men that they
had been given assurances of the
Presidents sympathy on the sugar
question were based on statements
Representative Broussard is said TO
have made 10 the witnesses after a
visit 20 President Elect Wilson at
Sea sirt
Il was assured by Mr.. Rroussard'
Continued on Eleventh Page)