The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-06-09
Information Secured Likely
to Have Important
Bearing on Future
Legislation
WILSON'S TREATIES
FACE DELAY AND
POSSIBLE DEFEAT
Congress Will Be Urged to Consider
q Registration Law-President's
Friends Gathering Material
to Support His Free
Sugar Stand

Washington, June s.-Neither President
Wilson nor democratic managers of the
two branches of Congress could estimate
tonight what effect the Senates remark
able 'lobby investigation" is to have upon
the progress OF the tariff bill, the cur
rency reform plan, or other business of
Congress.
In tho six days of grilling to which
It has subjected the senators themselves,
the investigating committee has secured
Information and opened UP channels of
Investigation that are likely to have an
important influence upon the whole course
| of legislation in the future. President
| Wilson's charges that an unusually large
'1obby" was engaged in trying to influ-
ence changes In the tariff, formed the
| basis for the inquiry now under way;
| but 1t has run far outside the scope of
| the tariff and has brought the Senate
committee up to the edge of what is ex-
pected to be one of the most searching
| inquiries ever conducted into the ques-
tion of Legislative influences"
Tariff Not Hindered
Progress on the tariff bill has not been
hindered during the week by the lobby
investigation, but it is said tonight that
before the reconstructed Underwood bill
finally gets into the Senate for the de-
bate the lobby investigation will have
become a direct issue in the fight. None
of the alleged lobbyists has been ques-
| toned as yet; but facts brought out by
senators on the witness stand and the
course the committee has determined
upon for the future. make it clear that
Congress will be urged to consider:
A registration law, requiring every lob
byist," legislative agent or other person
who comes to Washington to influence
legislation to identify himself at once and
the interests he represents
The condemnation and possible prohi-
bition of the present system of ''manu-
featuring sentiment in a state to infiu-
ence that states senator's or representa-
tives epon any sertain legislative mt
ter.
The chief influence of the lobby in
quiry upon the present tariff revision
probably will come In connection with
the sugar and wool fights, around which
will wage much of the forthcoming tariff
debate in the Senate. Well organized
and extensive campaigns have been shown
TO exist on both sides of the sugar tariff
question; and systematic activity by the
to by many senator's.
As to Free Sugar
President Wilson's friends in the Sem
ate are gathering material as the hear
ing progresses to support his free sugar
stand by an effort to show that the
Louisiana, Hawaiian and Porto Rcan
cane growers and American beet sugar
manufacturers have exhausted all possi-
BILE means to arouse public sentiment
trfsr
a fight Will be made on the other side,
to prove from the testimony of the lobby
hearing that cane sugar refineries, par
ticulariy the General Refining company.
have been the bone and sinew of the
FREQ sugar campaign and would be the
chief beneficiares of President Wilson, S
recommendations for free sugar in 1916,
are carried out.
Senators have talked freely of their
owners Of properties or commodities that
might somewhat be affected by tariff
changes. In the majority of cases, how
ever, they have insisted that such own
ership has never influenced their votes
and that they are not concerned person.
ally In any items of the present tariff
law.
From the attitude of members of the
Senate committee 1t is believed no rec
ommendation will be made against sem
ators voting upon schedules on the tariff
that might affect their own interests. Such
prohibition would affect many MEM
bers on one or more items. Senators
by the dozen have testified to ownership
| of farms and newspapers and In lesser
numbers to interests in lumber, coal. pa
per making, oil, cattle. wool and manu-
featuring enterprises
Probe Resumed Today
The lobby investigation will be re-
sumed early tomorrow, with the ques-
tioning of the remaining senator's
Tuesday or Wednesday the probe will
be carried to the field of so-called
"lobby" itself and men who have been
engaged in presenting arguments to
senators or Senate committee or in
| inspiring publicity "and back fire" cam
paign In the different states in behalf
OF any tariff changes will be examined
From this the committee will go into
the investigation Of lobbying activities
OF all kinds and upon all legislation
Opposition to the renewal of the ar
bitration treaties with Great. Britain
and other countries has become so acute
in the Senate that the new treaties
recently sent in by President Wilson
now face indefinite delay and possible
defeat. Another effort will now be made
early this week, to secure Endorsement
Of the treaties.
The extra session was two months old
last week and in that time the revision
of the tariff had been at least half conf
pleted. The Underwood Dill, winch
passed the House as strictly admin
istration measure has been in the SEN
ate more than a month and now is
nearly ready for the Senate democratic
caucus This caucus probably will be
held next week
As they will go to the democratic
caucus, the tariff rates Sill be the
lowest in history and the free list will
be the longest ever known; longer than
the list as 1t passed the House As re-
vised by the Senate subcommittee and
likely to have the approval Of the
finance committee majority the free list
will contain among other articles the
following:
Articles on Free List
Meat, -four, live stock, wheat, proba-
bly, with countervailing duty,
oats and oatmeal. barley, rye, lum-
ber coal, boots and shoes. breads and
biscuits, raw wool. sugar to be free in
three years, buckwheat and buckwheat
~