The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1913-06-02
Senators Will Be Asked Con-
corning Their Business
Connections with Interests
Tariff Affects.
PRESIDENT WILSON
WILL AID PROBERS
Has Not Been Asked to Be a
Witness, but Is Willing to
Be One, Correspondents
Were Told Today.
(National News Association

WASHINGTON, June 2.-President
Wilson will not, according to his pres
ent plans, appear before the special
senate committees which today be-
gan the investigation of the tariff lob
by. The president conferred with Sen
ator Overman, chairman of the special
committee, and gave the senator list
of names of men whom he thinks
should be asked to testify. The chief
executive also made a number of sug
gestions relative to the conduct of the
investigation and promised that any
aid the white house can give will be
furnished.
At the semi-weekly conference with
newspaper correspondents, which fol-
lowed Senator Overman's visit, the
president stated that he does not in
tend to testify before the Overman
committee because he has not been
asked to do so. Should the committee
issue a formal request that the pres
ident give it at first hand the informa-
ton it needs it is understood the chief
executive will tell what he knows of
lobbyists and their activities.
While President Wilson's recent de-
claration that a powerful lobby is at
work attempting to influence action on
the tariff bill forms the basis for the
Senate investigation, questions pre-
pared by the committee to be asked
of each member of the Senate are
such as to carry the investigation far
outside tariff matters.
What Interest is Behind You?
Each senator will be required to
interest in any matter affected by any
bill now before Congress, or that has
been before the Senate in bis term;
and whether or not he has ever tried
to influence any other senator to vote
for a measure in which he was inter
ested
Chairman Overman of the subcom
mittee expressed the opinion that the
committees questions would require
a statement by each senator as to any
business interests he may have that
would be affected by the tariff, cur
rency or any other legislation.
Many members of the Senate are
openly associated with manufacturing,
trading, live stock, lumber, financial
or farming corporations or interests,
and under the questions of the COM
mittee they probably will be required
to give any such connections in detail,
If the tariff would affect their busi-
ness in any way.
Senators Overman, Reed, Walsh,
Cummins and Nelson were selected
early today by the judiciary commit
tee as the subcommittee to conduct
the investigation. At two subsequent
meetings this subcommittee decided
to summon all members of the Senate
beginning alphabetically and calling
four senators at time.
Each senator will be put under oath
and required to answer eleven formal
questions prepared by the committee
and further questions that members
may ask.
Ashurst First Witness.
Senator Ashurst of Arizona was the
first witness in the lobby inquiry to-
day. Ashurst said he was not inter
ested directly or indirectly in the pro-
duction, manufacture or sale of any
article affected by the tariff. He also
stated he has never sought to in
luence any senator respecting any
item in the tariff.
Ashurst said that Representative
Kettner of California had asked him
to find out if there was to be any
further reduction by the senate on
lemons and oranges. II asked this
question of Senator Simmons" said
the Arizona senator, "and he replied
there would probably not be any fur
ther reduction in these duties
Senator Ashurst on information and
belief charged J. ]. McMurray of
South McAllister. Okla, with attempt
ing to coerce senators sitting in the
Indian committee to favor a contract
which would net McMurray $500 900. |
This contract called for the disposi- !
tion of land, he said. belonging to the
Chickasaw and Choctaw tribes, at a
commission of about 10 per cent. AS
hurst said that the work had already
been performed by the government
and that in his opinion the contract if
signed by the president would permit |
McMurray to pocket his $500. 200 |
without turning a hand to earn it.