Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-06-18

Louisiana and Hawaiian witnesses re-
lpeatedly declared that they had not re-
Iceived fair treatment from the presi-
ident and had been nisled by others as
Ito his purpose, the committee sue
&C eded in drawing what are believed 10
be some of the most important facts
thus far developed
Some of the sugar men frankly adj
mitted that they constituted "lobby,'
although they objected to the charge
that any of their actions had been '.in-
lsidious," or in any way illegitimate or
Undetermined. They admitted that COM
Iprehensive campaigns had been or
ganized and carried out, to create
"back-firess on senators and repre-
sentatives from their own states, in
the hope of winning their support to
the anti-free sugar side.
Great Industry at Stake
The prosperity of Louisiana was. at
stake" said Jules GodchauX, sugar
1 planter We tried to get the people We
! did business with to write to senators
and representatives, telling them that
free sugar would destroy the business
of the state We asked them to write
and wire to Washington and to ask the
merchants they did business with
Throughout the United States to do the
same. We tried to establish an end
less chain of letters and kilograms, to
draw the attention of congress to our
arguments"
John F. Hamburg of New York,
manager for a large Hawaiian sugar
firm, admitted that his firm had urged
| all of their 1900 or more customers to
write to senators and representatives
pointing out that destruction to BUSH
ness would follow free sugar.
I'VE had to do that to overcome
some of the effects of the misstate-
ments that had been made in the free
sugar campaign" he said.
| Indignant at the President
Plainly resentful of the presidents
recent statements as to the operation
of an "insidioIs lobby" in Washington,
the Louisiana and Hawaiian sugar
men enlivened the hearings with fire.
quent attempts to tell of the pledges
they believed they had received that
sugar would not be made entirely
free Jules Godchaux and E. F. Dick
inson, the two Louisiana witnesses,
declared they had tried in vain to see
the president and had been informed
he had all the information he wanted
on the sugar tariff.
!, Dickinson declared the president
had never talked with any practical
sugar man" about the Louisiana situa-
ton and that he had secured most OF
his information from National Com
mitteeman Robert Ewing, a newspa-
perman; Sol Wexler, banker; Rep
resentative Groussard and Senator'S
I Ransdell and Thornton.
az have never seen Wilson on the
sugar subject" interrupted Senator
Thornton, who was sitting in the COM
mittee room.
Charges of the sugar men that they
had been given assurances OF the pres
idents sympathy on the sugar ques-
ton were based on statements repre-
sentative Broussard was said to have
made to the witnesses, after visit TO
President-elect Wilson at Sea Grit.
/ Hawaiians Charge Deception
aI was assured by Mr.. Broussard."
said Harry Irwin, representing tine
Hilo, Hawaii, board OF trade, Inat a
plan indorsing tariff reduction such
as would not destroy any legitimate
industry was prepared in Mr.. wilson's
presence and sanctioned by Mr.. Will
SON with a direct reference to the SUI
gar situation"
The fact that the Baltimore conven-
ton did not indorse free sugar; and
other circumstances of the campaign,
the witnesses said, had led them 10
work for the Democratic ticket and
/ support Wilson in the belief they
! would "have nothing to fear from
any movement for free sugar.
! After they got to Washington, COD
chaux said, thea sugar planters MADE
vain efforts to see the president ana
talk with him. Eve went to the
White House and saw Secretary Tu-
multy," he added. HE told US we
could not see the president; that he
had particular instructions that the
president did not want any appoint.
ments made with any one from
Louisiana to talk about sugar; that
he had all the information he wanted
on the subject
Dickinson was particularly emphatic
in his statements that he was not an
"insidious lobbyist" declaring that he
had looked the term up and found 1t
meant "deceitful, lying and treachSr-
ous.'
do you know of any misleading
statements that have been circulat-
ed?" asked Senator Overman.
why, yes, some of these bulletins
and statements put out by the free