The Bemidji daily pioneer., 1913-06-02
Such is Way in Which Congressman
Tavenner Relates To Recent
,. - Talk of Colorado Senator. .
CONSIDERED SECOND TO WILSON
Dealt With Methods Used by Sugar
Trust In Getting Favorable
Mention Before Congress.
EMPLOYEES FORCED TO WRITE
Were Informed That if They Did Not
Do So They Took Chances of
Losing Their Jobs.
BY Congressman Clyde H. Tavenner.

By Congressman Clyde H. Tavenner
Washington, June BY his recent
speech in the Senate exposing. the
methods used by the beet sugar trust
to manufacture false and artificial
public sentiment against the tariff
bill, Senator Thomas, of Colorado
has performed public service, Sec
ond only to that of the president in
calling attention to the insiduous
tariff lobby, the most powerful which
ever operated in Washington.
Senator Thomas's speech gives the
public some idea of the pressure ma
tional legislators must withstand
when they attempt to pass laws which
the special interests oppose but which
the people want.
Senator Thomas and his colleagues,
Senator Shafroth, as we'll as two rep
resentatives at large, Edward Keat-
ing and E. T. Taylor, were elected in
Colorado last fall on the Democratic
ticket by pluralities ranging from
$4,000 to $4,000 votes. While the
platform did not specifically endorse
the removal of the duty on sugar, it
endorsed all the actions of the last
Democratic house, one of which was
to pass a free sugar bill; and Repre-
sentative Heating ran on straight
free-sugar platform. 1t was evident
that Colorado, with it's extensive SUI
gar industry, voted for free sugar by
a plurality of $4,000.
The special session of congress met.
The tariff bill, providing for free SUI
gar was introduced. And then what
happened? sFrom all parts Of Colo
RADIO letters began pouring in on that
states senators and representatives
protesting against free sugar. So
numerous and vehement were these
letters and kilograms that they. ap-
parently indicated tremendous re-
vulsion of feeling in the state toward
the sugar tariff. Any honest legisla-
tor might: we'll hesitate before he
voted against such an overwhelming
expression of public opinion.
Senator Thomas, however, went be-
hind the erturns. He got in COM
munication with Thomas S. Price, an
intelligent man formerly employed by
the Great Western Sugar Company
at Longmont, Colorado, who told the
senator how the fictitious public SEN
timent was manufactured. He wrote:
."You will no doubt receive letters
from employe :sof the factory here, as
they are compelled in an underhand-
ed way either to write them or take
chances of losing their jobs by re-
fusing"
Price enclosed form letter which
the sugar companies ordered their
employees to copy, sign and mail to
Washington. This letter does not
speak for the sugar company, but is
all for the poor farmer and the poor
wage Garner. After instructing the
employees how to direct the letters, tre
instructions were: "A letter to Hon
Woodrow Wilson, President of the
United States, Washington, D. c.,
will do a lot of good: If you are a
Demolrat, tell them so. 1t will carry
more weight.
In this way thousands of employees
of of,Colorado sugar mills have been
"influencde" to write to their senators
-. ~, orose,oor ,,ro;n q +hano IN vote