Arizona republican., 1913-06-06
Committee Decides to EX-
tend Its Investigation to
All Organized Efforts
That Have Been Made to
Influence Legislation
SMOOT BECOMES
TRIFLE ANNOYED
Denies That He Represents
Mormon Interests in
Either the Sugar or the
Wooden Industry of the
State of Utah

WASHINGTON, June 5-The senate
lobby investigation committee decid-
ed tonight to extend the present in
quiry into a sweeping investigation Of
all organized efforts that have been
made to influence action upon legis-
lation of any kind now pending before
congress or under consideration in the
recent past.
Questions as to the interest the Nor
mon church holds in the sugar and
Woolen factories of Utah brought about
a lively clash between Senator Smoot
and the democratic members of the
committee Smoot said the church
represented a small amount of the
stock of the Utah and Idaho sugar com
pany and in the knight WoOlen Mills
company at Provo. but resented the
questions by Senators Reed and Walsh
that he thought carried insinuat tiOns
that he represented the interests of the
Mormon church in Washington. Here
in Washington, represent all the peO-
pie Of Utah he said sharply 4 don't
represent Mormon, Jew or gentle,
black or white, Methodist or Presby-
terian.''
Senator Reed said he had not meant
TO insinuate that Senator SmoOt rep
resented the Mormon church.
Don't you in any way represent the
churchs stock within the meaning of
this investigation asked Walsh. Il
do not" retorted Smoot, mo more than
you do"
Senators Smoot, Mark Smith, Shaft
roth and williams testified at the af-
ternOon session They produced new
bundles of literature sent out by V2ri-
Gus organiza tions and individuals. The
investigating committee finally decided
to have to pass on this literature and
determine whether it is not misleading
or will have a "pernicious effect"
Members of the committee agreed
even though raising money for pub
licity campaigns might be legitimate,
the issuing of false statements or mis-
leading public documents would be i'm
sidious attempts to influence the pub
lie and members of congress.
That detectives in some cases have
been used to shadow members of con-
gress in the interest of certain legisla
tive action is a point Senator Cum
minis will endeavor to establish. He
asked Smoot today whether the latter
knew of such activity. Smoot said he
had heard of it, but could give the
committee no information. Cummins
declined to state what further witnesses
would be produced or to indicate the
nature of the detective work that had
been done.
Smoot gave the committee the names
of many persons who had called upon
him on tariff subjects. He said he had
taken no part personally in the organi-
zation of the fight against free sugar
and had not known Of the existence of
lobby or the use of money, further
than that public advertisements indi-
Gated it.
Senator Williams whose sub COM
mittee had charge of the income tax
feature of the tariff bill expressed the
belief there had been an organized eff
fort by insurance companies to rally
policy holders against the income tax
Insurance officials probably will be
asked to appear later
r. D. Bowen, who signed a circular
produced by Williams advising cotton
growers to urge senators to support
higher duty on cotton cloth; S. w
Cowan of Texas who has been active
in the fight against free meat; A. w
Kopp, former representative from Wis
consin and c. H. Brown and Otto Ruhl
of washington, were subpOenaed to-
night
The decision of the committee &c
broaden the scope of the inquiry was
determined upon after several senators
added to the testimony already giver
tending to show that well organized
and vigorous work is being done by
commercial interests on sugar, WOO
and other tariff issues. The commit
tee decided to subpoena practically al
persons thus far mentioned by the sen
ators as amongst tariff callers" anc
learn the exact nature of all organized
work being directed toward influenc-
ing any member of congress on any
subject.
Efforts of the committee will be cent
cred first on the sugar fight and mex
on wool and that a full investigation
will take place of the activities fol
prohibition and liquor, Hobbies of tht
Alaskan railway forces, labor unions
farmers protective organizations anC
practically all other organized bodie!
that have carried on publicity cam
paigns, endless chain letter Writns
Continued on Page TWO)