Evening journal., 1913-06-02
WILSON PROBE
OF LOBBY IS
UNDER WAY
AShurSt Not Interested In
Commodities Affected by
Tariff
BACON IS PEEVEp
BY INVESTIGATION
By The United Press.


started today trailing the numerous
and insidious lobby which President
Wilson says is organized here against
the tariff bill A special sub-commit-
tee began its questioning Of all mem
bers Of the upper house in an en-
dc;Nor to ascertain, through a care
fully prepared list OF questions, just
V ho Is at woak attempting TO infu-
ence legislation, what steps they have
taken, and interest in pending meas
ures. Because IL was a proceeding
unparalleled in congressional history.
big crowd packed the judiciary
committees hearing room, OCCUPYING
every available chair
Senator Ashurst. Of Arizona, was
one of the first persons 10 appear at
the hearing room. The sugar lobby
apparently had most Of its members
on hand
The committee was late in arriving
and this visibly irritated Senator Ba-
con. of Georfia, who was second on
tho list Of witnesses. The Georgia
senator fumed around glancing at the
clock and then pronounced the ar
rangements for the hearing absurd
and ridiculous" He took particular
ulnbrage at the raised dais arranged
! for the witness chair and ieered at
the committee while they we're being
snapshotted in pleasant poses by the
omnipresent newspaper photographers.
Senator Ashurst. the first witness,
denied having any interest in any OF
! the commodities in the tariff bill.
II have never been financially in
I terested in any bill before congress,
/ he said. ~ have never tried 70 inAu-
ence any senator or representative for
or against passage OF any legislation.
! Chairman 0yerman read the next
question. requesting the names OF all
persons with whom the witness had
talked on the tariff bill.
Ashurst smiled At the broadness Of
the query and remarked:
"Ill try 10 do so far AS possible,
though I kept no list Representa-
tive kettner, Of California. came TO
me and asked whetehr any further re-
duction in the duty on lemons vas
likely to he made by the senate. I
asked Senator Simmons about II and
he thought there would be none.
so informed Mr. Kettner. When
talked 70 Senator Simmons I made II
plain that 7 had no interest whatever
in the lemon matter"
Continuing. the senator described
how Mr.. Mccarthy had asked him
TO learn from Senator Stone whether
there would be any reduction on
mohair rates. Ashurst said he gave
u Mccarthy Stones reply that Stone
had urged no increase and hoped AZ
long as he was in congress never Il
urge any increase in tariff rates. The
next incident the senator remembered
was q hrief conversation on street
car with Senators Smith. OF Georgia
and Swanson. OF Virginia. in regard
to the glove rates.
"A Mr.. Mcclure and q Mr. Tomlin-
son. Of Arizona. called in regard to
catt's and wool rates he continued
Il told them would always favor
placing Arizona's products first on
the free list. Neither ,ntlemau said
anything that might be construed Sc
improper.
Il also recall that a Senator whose
name 7 do not remember. asked me
to visit President Wilson with him
and as the President TO relax his
views regarding free sugar, I re-
piled to him that I heartily agreed
with the Pr ident on that point"
Ashurst declared that no one had
improperly approached him on mat
: ters affecting the tariff bill.
Senator Cummins, Of Iowa. wanted
to know whethe the witness thought
it was lobbying for a finance commit.
tee majority that numbered but few
Senators 10 hold such hearings thai
the entire Senate could learn but lit
= tie OF them.
"1he people have no lobby an
sweTed Ashurst, therefore I don
= believe in allowing witnesses to ad
vance one side of the case.
Senator Bacon. next called, still re
tained his irritation and fatty refused
TO take a seat on the raised platform
for witnesses. He answered question:
with considerable irony at first. re
marking that he owned a fine subur
ban farm. but that he consumed mos
OF the crop himself. The only othe
interest he had which he could recol
lect was a s29. 900 share in q sewe
pipe factory. and then the Senate
4 added, out of an abundance of cautiol
that he was slightly interested in tn
ohA w q ~ Nff rro HAoiAA anu cittAA 4
: power and light plant IN his hon
city. He began long explanation
s Of his efforts during pendency Q
d Dngley aud Payne tariff bills to oh
= tain lower duties on meat. branchin
y out into regular speech on hot
o cheaper meats would decrease tn
e cost Of living.
Cummins finally interrupted hir
> with the declaration that the inves
: tigation did not cover the ordinar
activities of a Senator in dischargin
his duties.
= well. maybe ] spoke 10 Senator
= privately" Bacon insisted. but oppt
= sition to high duties s. the exter
Of my efforts to influence Congress. '
Like Ashurst. Bacon said he ha
y retired from practice Of the law sine
entering the Senate, except for NAL
d ing an occasional argument befor
the Supreme Court of the Unite
States.
al Bacon declared that there was il
" dnitely less Of an educational can
IL paign or Of activity in connectio
at with any previous measure of II
q same kind. during his eighteen yeai
Z. in the upper house.
~
,e LAY POISONING TO MEAT.
n