Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1913-06-20
EXPOSURE COMING
In SUGAR LOBBY

news distributing associations,
whereby the sugar interests have
been daringly engaged in manufac-
turing public sentiment against free
sugar, is predicted here today by the
senate subcommittee which is in
vestigating the "insidious lobby" de-
nounced by President Wilson.
Following the publication of sew
eral letters written by C. c. Hamlin
of the Michigan Beet Sugar COM
pany, which presumed to show that
the Associated Press, the American
Press association, the American
Newspaper Union, and various news
papers had freely lent their services
to the sugar lobby, Senator Reed
said today:
Campaign Against Fee Sugar.
81 want the country to get the
full significance of these letters,
want them to know how the sugar
people, using every weapon and
backed by limitless wealth, have
been fighting to defeat free sugar.
They have swayed public opinion
using the press in the most daring
manner, and have conducted coun-
try-wide campaign to influence sem
ators and representatives, and have
even enlisted the aid of the rail-
roads to get favorable congressional
action against free sugar"
A stiff fight, but fruitless, against
the reading of further correspon-
dence showing the sugar trust pub
licity methods was put up at the
opening of the hearing today, John
Yerkes, counsel for Henry Oxnard,
arguing at great length that the
committee was exceeding its rights.
Before Yerkes started his objec-
tions, however, two more letters
were read. One of these, dated July,
1906, was from Oxnard to Truman
Palmer, secretary Of the sugar lob
by. It congratulated Palmer for
having Aaron Covee, the Great West
ern Sugar man, go around trying to
educate congressman. "
One Letter Writer Careful.
The other letter read was un-
signed. 1t was written to Oxnard in
1907 and concerned Govees anxiety
to buy an influential newspaper. II
stated, "Messrs. Corbin and Cutter
have gotten the Wyoming and Colo
RADIO legislators to pass strong anti
free sugar memorials" It's most
significant paragraph was: Mr..
Collins Is very anxious about the
Taft situation and hopes there Is
some way to make 1t known that
there is great doubt of his ability to
carry such states as California, Ida
no, Utah, Colorado and Michigan,
and that, If we cannot head him off,
we might be able to get promise
from him relative to the sugar and
tobacco industries. He asked me for
suggestions for action and ! think
| will write him as to the annual
meeting, when the whole subject can
be thoroughly canvassed"
Yerkes objected to the reading Of
these and other letters on the
ground that they were not now COM
petent, having been written before
the investigation started Despite
his objections, the committee de-
cided to resume the reading Of cor
respondence.
1t was only after an hours execu-
tive session that the committee de-
cided to proceed with the reading of
correspondence during that session,
Senator Ransdell bitterly opposing
the plan Ransdel also expects to
argue later against further barring
Of the sugar trust correspondence on
the ground that the senate sergeant
at arms exceeded his authority in
the subpoena deuces tecum In selling
papers not specifically named in the
writ
After Ransdell's opposition had
subsided temporarily, the committee
read a telegram from Hamlin sent
to f. A. Gillespie, Of Garden City,
Kas., on February 10, 1912. It
read: Write me fully about your
congressman, how he can best be
reached. Would get up new petit
tions, not only at Garden City, but at
Sylvia and other places. Also have
as many letters sent as possible. Let
ters to your new congressman from
substantial democrats are very ad-
visabe."
Lectures by Dr. Wiley.
A letter addressed to Sidney Bal