The San Francisco call., 1913-07-23
MUL HALL BACKS
DOWN ON CHARGE
AGAINST WATSON
Lobby Star Retracts Testi-
mony Former Representa-
tive Was in Interests
Pay While in House
LETTERS SHOW WORK
FOR TARIFF BOARD
N. A. NJ. Anxious to Have
Taft's Pet Project Put
in Motion

WASHINGTON. July 22.-Martin NJ
Mulhall, professed lobbyist for the
National Association of Manufacturers.
retracted the most serious charge he
has made before the senate investiga-
ting COMMITTEES
He swore yesterday that former
Representative James e. Watson of
Indiana had been employed by private
interests in 1909. while he still was a
member of the house, to work for a
tariff commission bill He testified to-
day that what he had sworn to was
wrong; that Watson was not a member
of the house at the time
Reports that Watson, who is in
Washington. was about to ask the
district of Columbia grand jury to in
dict Mulhall for criminal libel were
heard about the investigating room
this morning. Mulhan volunteered his
retraction shortly after the noon re-
cess
He said he realized his mistake when
he saw the date of a tariff convention
to be held in Indianapolis in February.
1909
CARDINAL GIBBONS MENTIONED
Just before the close of the session
the Mulhall letters began to refer to
efforts to get Cardinal Gibbons, Pre-
siding Bishop Daniel e. Tuttle of the
Episcopal church of America, Ambas-
sador James Bryce, the late Justice
Brewer Vice President Sherman, Sen
ators Borah and Dolliver and other
prominent men to speak in St Louis at
a course of lectures TO be given by the
Citizens Industrial association.
Cardinal Gibbons was mentioned in
several letters between Mulhan and E.
G. Schwedtman. secretary to President
Van Cleve of the National Association
Ts1,ai F1aoi IN
Overman asked for an explanation.
II don't believe I saw the cardinal
on that mission" said the witness. L
saw him only once
Mulhall said the association was or
ganized to deliver educational lectures
and keep the side of the people inter-
ested in it before the public
Has it anything to do with lobby
work." he was asked.
Yes. sir. 1t was organized to pro-
tect its members or to work for legis-
1ation it wanted"
Legislation against labor?
Yes. sir. Legislation against labor
WORK FOR TARIFF BOARD
The committee did not ask him fur
ther about the one visit he said he
had made to the cardinal.
MulhaH's activities detailed in let
ters puts in the record today, were
directed early in 1909 to work in be-
half OF a tariff commission bill, al
though he told of occasional excur-
sions to break strikes and do other
odd jobs for the National Association
or Manufacturers.
One of the letters on the tariff COM
mission bill, written by H. E. Miles, a
manufacturer of Racine, Wis, who was
prominent in the fight, declared that
Speaker Cannon was the main obstacle.
The letter was dated July 81, 1909,
when the Payne-Aldrich bill, with its
tariff board provisions, had gone to
conference. In it Miles said:
The president is said to be abso-
lutely bent upon his program and Won
derfully unyielding. And the entire
opposition Is in Speaker Cannon.
ONLY HOPE FOR TAFT
II am perfectly satisfied that If
Speaker Cannon could name the per-
sonnel of the proposed commission he
would grant it instantly and undoubt-
edly would neme the sort of men he
packed the conference committee with.
If we don't get this commission 1t will
be because of Speaker Cannon and the
influences he personally stands for.
"The president will be as disap-
pointed as we. I am sure he sees a
dreadful party defeat and a new re-
vision within two or three years unless
his policy now obtains, including the
commission, but of course he has not
said this to me.
The good Lord moves slowly, but
this is certainly above everything else
this country is on the way more rap
idly than most of us realize to a just
and helpful tariff"