The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-06-02
SEARCH IS BEGUN
Will Try to Find President
Wilson's Tariff Lobby.
This InvidiOus, Mysterious,
Powerful, Subtle Thing.
HOROSCOPE OF THE SENATORS
Magic Wand and Enchanted
System Be Used.
VIII Look in the Crystal Ball
to Find Mists of Morning.
HOROSCOPE OF THE SENATORS

Washington, June 2.-The first SEN
ators to testify today in the senate's
! investigation of the charge that lob
! by is working against the tariff DILL
declared they knew of no improper
| influence being exerted, no use of
money, and had not themselves at
! tempted to improperly influence any
other senators. All admitted having
| talked with members interested in the
/ tariff, having heard arguments and
| protests, but all considered such pro-
| ceedings strictly legitimate and none
considered the men with whom they
talked as lobbyists" Senator Ashurst
| said however, that man named Nc
| Murray had been attempting improp-
| erIy to influence senators against the
movement to cancel certain Indian
| contracts by which McMurray is SAID
to stand to receive $3,500,000. Sena-
! tor Borah referred also to the man
Senator Ashurst mentioned.
Just before the committee began
| taking testimony Chairman OVerman
| and Senator Reed conferred with Pres
! ident Wilson.
1t was said the president would not
be called before the committee but
would transmit any informal ton he
might have on the subject of lobby.
Senator AShurst said he did believe,
however,
ray had been attempting to influence
improperly the action of senators with
respect to preventing the cancellation
of certain contracts he (McMurray)
held with Cherokee Indians for the
sale of land whereby he would receive
$3,5Q0,000.
The Smoothest Lobbyist.
s'He is the smoothest lobbyist 1 have
ever seem" added the senator. He
could carry a bundle of cells up stairs
without dropping a single one.
Senator Ashurst said he considered
any man or woman a lobbyist who
buttonholed senators or members OF
congress and urged them to vote for
certain measures or suffer reprisals in
the election. Il do not consider a man
a lobbyist who files legitimate argu-
inents with congress about matters in
which he is interested the senator
said.
j. F. McMurrrary, attorney of Meal
lister, Ok, prominently identified with
Indian legislation. has a contract with
the Cherokee Indians for the sale of
S35, ,OOO 900 worth of land for which he
is to receive 10 per cent. There is
movement in congress now to annul
his contracts.
Harry Kay and a Mr.. Mccarthy of
Idaho, Senator Ashurst said, had talk
ed with him about lead; Frank j..
Hagenbarth and DIR. Mcclure, officials
of Wool Growers association about
wool and several men from Louisiana
in regard to sugar. The names of the
latter he could not remember.
Senator Bacon, who followed Senate
Ashurst, said that "Out of an abund-
ance of caution" he vented to tell the
committee that he owned a small farm
in Georgia on which some articles might
( be raised that were affected by the
tariff A sewer pipe factory, street
railway. a gas company and an cleo
tric company were other industries in
which Senator Bacon said he had some
interest.
Il do not believe any of them are af-
fected by any of this legislation" he
said.
II am sure 1 want no duty on sewer
pipe
Senator Bacon said he had not tried
to influence members of the senate ex-
cept in general way to urge a reduc-
ton of tariff on articles of general use.
Knew No Lobbyist.
IT have not listened to a single man
or heard a single argument on this
tariff BILL he said. Il have received a
great many letters and circulars
Il have seen very much less effort to
influence legislation in this bill. 1t does
not compare with the consideration of
the Payne-Aldrich bill in that respect"
No person attempted to influence
him improperly Senator Bacon said
and he knew nothing of attempts to use
money for lobbying purposes.
Il don't think a man who comes here
to represent an interest in which he
himself is concerned to present argu-
ments is a lobbyist" said the senator
Neither do I think a lawyer who
comes here in a legitimate way to
represent a reputable industry is a lob
byist."
Senator Bacon knew of no recognized
lobbyist giving dinners or social af-
ia seeking influence LEGISLATION
Senator Bacon concluded by testifying
he had heard that there are two
sugar" organizations in Washington,
one for free sugar and the other
against it. Senator Bankhead was
called but did not respond Senator
Borah took the stand.
No. was his answer to all the ques-
tions as to whether he was interested
in any industry, or represented pro-
fessionally any industry affected by the
tariff
L retired from by profession when
entered the senate" he said. The SEN
ator was a lawyer.
Senator Rorah Was Not Bothered.
Senator Borah said no one had at
tempted improperly to influence him,
and he had no knowledge of the use of
money. He told the lead and sugar
men he thought the bill would pass as
written and it was not worth while to
spend time discussing it Pressed for
names. Senator Borah said he regard
ed 1.-The man mentioned by Senator
Ashurst as interested in securing GER
tain Indian legislation"
A Dozen Called on Bristow.
Senator Bristow of Kansas was call
ed and gave a list of nearly a dozen
men who called on him.
1T is my duty to hear all views and
get all the information 1 can" he said
F. C. Lowrey of New York, an en-
ployee OF the Federal Sugar company.