The Prescott daily news., 1913-06-13
LOUlSlANANS THOUGHT PRESi- DENT WILSON WOULD FAVOR
 A DUTY, THEY SAY.
STARTED ENDLESS CHAIN"
Asked Men With Whom They Dealt to Use Influence With Repre- sentatives in Congress in
 Behalf of Tariff.


 endless chain" system of letters and telegrams directed to United States senators and members of the house was organized by the cane sugar in terests of Louisiana in an effort to de- feat free sugar in the Underwood bill senate lobby Investigating committee by witnesses who appeared in behalf of the sugar interests of Louisiana.
 Jules Godchaux, owner of three sugar factories in Louisiana, said he had been in Washington five weeks, working against free sugar, Eand that the American Cane Growers associ- ation always had two or three repre- sentatives in Washington to look after their interests.
 We were forced to open headquar- ters in Washington" said the witness, 'in order to counteract the work that had been going on for four years by the propaganda favoring free sugar. We asked our customers in Louisi- ana to request their customers throughout the country to write and wire to their senators to vote against free sugar. This endless chain was meant to be spread broadcast. We hoped to reach every line of industry in the United States. We asked those people to use their influence in pre- venting the passage of free sugar bill"
 "I suppose that is why the mule men of St. Louis wired me to vote against free sugar" said Senator Reed.
 We told the dealers in mules in Missouri" replied the witness, that there would be no further use for mules on the sugar plantations If free sugar became a reality"
 "Then you were not relying upon argument, but upon the influence you could wield in order to defeat free sugar." asked Senator Reed.
 We believed that if dealer in mules wrote you about the sugar schedule you would be interested, whereas, if we wrote you about it you would probably throw our communica- tion into the waste basket" replied Godchaux. We went to the White House and saw Secretary Humility. He told us we could not see the presi- dent; that he had particular instruc- tions that the president did not want any appointment with anyone from Louisiana to talk about sugar; that he had all the information he wanted on that subject
 We cast 50.000 or 60,000 votes for Wilson and subscribed money to his campaign in Louisiana, on the assur- ance we thought we had that he would not favor free sugar"
 "I have no objection to the term lobby" he said, but deny that it is an insidious lobby, as charged by President Wilson"
 Sent Out 5000 Letters.
 Edward F. Dickinson, owner and manager of several sugar plantations in Louisiana, said he had come to Washington to argue with senators against free sugar.
 Tn addition to this" he stated, II sent over 5000 pieces of literature giving the reason why we should re- tain duty on sugar. l sent copy of this document to the president members of the cabinet, senators and representatives"
 He was asked if the cane people had combined with the beet people to de feat free sugar.
 We are all in a common boat of misery" he replied.
 Dickinson declared the president had never talked with any practical sugar man" about the Louisiana -situ ation. and that he had obtained most of his information from National Com mitteeman Robert Ewing, newspa per man: Sol Wexler, banker Rep resentat;ves Broussard and Senators Ransdell and Thornton.
 q have never seen MT. Wilson on the sugar subject" interrupted Sen. ator Thornton, who was sitting in the committee room.
 The fact that the Baltimore conven tion did not endorse free sugar and other circumstances of the campaign,