Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1913-06-12
SUPPORTED WILSON ON ASSUR-
ANCE THAT THEY HiD MOTH
ING TO FEAR.
AIMIT that they L(B3IED
But Insist the Anti-Frcc Sugar Fight
Has Been Made in the open
and Not insidi0us.

| NNAdtt l''bN commuters t'uhAt wa"
to marked extent controversy over
whether President " Ilson mad given
,he sugar producers reason to believe
they would have nothing to fear
from free sugar under has adminis-
| tratiOn
out Of the days testimony, In
which Louisiana and Hawaiian wit
nesses repeatedly declared they had
not received fair treatment from
The president and had been misead
by others as to his purpose, the
committee succeeded IN drawing out
what are believed to be some of the
most important facts thus far devel-
oped. Some Of the sugar men frank
ly admitted they constituted a
lobby" although they objected 10
the charge that any Of their actions
had been "lnsidous' or in any way
Illegal or underhand. They admitted
that comprehensive campaigns had
been organized and outlined to ere
ate "break fires" on senators and
representatives. from their own state,
n the nope of winning their support
to the anti-free sugar side.
Prosperity at Stake.
''The prosperity Of Louisiana was
at stake" said Jules Godchaux, n
sugar planter. I'VE tried to get the
people we did business with to write
senators and representatives. telling
them that free sugar would destroy
the business Of the state. We asked
lhem TO wire and write Washington
lnd to ask the merchants they did
business with in the United States
to do the same. We tried to estab-
llsh an endless chain OF letters and
.elegrams to draw attention OF con
gress to our arguments
John +. Hamburg OF New York,
manager of a large Hawaiian sugar
firm admitted his firm had urged all
of their l,500 or more customers to
write to senators and representatives,
declaring that destruction to business
would follow free sugar.
1--WE had to do that to overcome
some Of the effects OF the mlsstate-
ments that had been made in the
free sugar campaign.
Plainly resentful OF the presidents
recent statements as to the operation
Of an 'insdious lobby" in Washing
ton, the Louisiana and Hawaiian
sugar men enliyened the hearing
with frequent attempts to tell of the
pledges they believed they had re-
eived that sugar would not be made
entirely free. Jules GodchauX and
Edward f. Dickinson the two Louisi-
ana witnesses. declared they had
tried In vain to see President Wilson
and had been Informed that he had
all the information he wanted on the
sugar tariff.
Never Saw Sugar Men.
Mr.. Dickinson declared the presi-
dent had never talked with any
practical sugar man" about the
Louisiana situation, and that he had
secured most of his information from
National Committeeman Robert Ew-
ing, a newspaper man; Sol WeXler, Il
banker; Representation Broussard
and Senators Ransdell and Thornton.
II have never seen Mr. Wilson on
the sugar subject" interrupted Sen
ator Thornton, who was sitting in
the committee room.
Charges OF the sugar men that they
had been given assurances of the
presidents position on the sugar ques
ton were based on statements Rep
resentatiye Proussard is said to have
made to the witnesses after q visit to
President Wilson at Seagirt
II was assured by MI BrDussard,"
said Harry Irwin, representing the
Hilo, Hawaii, board of trade. that
plan endorsing a tariff reduction
such as would not destroy any legiti-
mate industry was prepared in Mr..
Wilson'S presence and sanctioned by
Mr. Wilson, with direct reference to
the sugar situation.
Worked for Wilson.
The fact that the Baltimore con-
vention did not endorse free sugar
and other circumstances OF the cam
paign had led them to work for the
democratic ticket in the belief that
they would have nothing to fear"
from any movement for free sugar.
I'VE cast $4,000 or 5000 votes for
Wilson and subscribed money to his
campaign i'm Louisiana" said Jules
Godchaux, hotly. ION the assurance.
We thought we had that he would
not favor free sugar"
After they got to Washington. Mr..
Godchaux said, the sugar planters
made vain efforts to see the presi-
dent and talk with him. I'VE went
to the White House and saw Secretary
Tumulty." he added. "He told us
We could not see the president; that
he had particular Instructions that
the president did not want any ap-
polntments made with anyone from
InIIisiann 10 talk about Hugar that