The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-08-07
CLEAN RECORDS
FOR SENATORS
FROM FLORIDA
TESTIMONY BEFORE LOBBY m
VESTIGATl0N PLACES THEM
IN CREDITABLE LIGHT
Neither Fletcher Nor Bryan Has Any
Personal Interests That Could
Be Affected BY Tariff

Washington, Aug. THE inves-
tigation Of an "instdious" lobby by
special committee of the Senate has
been In progress now since the first
OF June. It is impossible to indi-
cate when It's work will end. 1t
Is conceded generally that President
Wilson's charge, which precipitated
In inquiry, has been substantiated
While the disclosures of Martin M.
Mulhall, confessed lobbyist for the
National Association of Manufac-
turers, have furnished the most spec
tacular features of the probe, no
phase of the investigation has been
more interesting that the testimony
given by the members of the United
States Senate who appeared before
the committee to indicate whether
they had special interest in legis-
lation pending before Congress.
Senators Fletcher and Bryan Of
Florida gave interesting testimony
which showed conclusively that
neither of them was interested finan-
cially in the manufacture or produc.
tion of any Of the items of the tariff
bill. Their testimony has stamped
them as alert, aggressive representa-
tives Of the people of Florida.
Senator Fletcher told the commit
tee that he had taken an active in
terest in an amendment in the tar
If bill to protect the public and the
manufacturers Of clear Havana cigars
against the fraud that is being per-
petrated through the sale Of cigars
made Of inferior tobacco, and offered
to the public and sold as Havana
cigars He declared that he had
urged the provision allowing clear
Havana cigar manufacturers to man
ufacture in bond, and to have the
government place stamp on the
cigars certiflng that they contained
Cuban-grown tobacco.
II do not want to hurt the grow
ers Of tobacco" said Senator Fletch-
er. "Our growers in Florida have
had a hard enough time, and l do
not want to injure them; but It
seems to me this Is very great In
dustry and II the government reve.
nues may be increased and this In.
dustry benefited in this way 1t would
be advantage to rather than harm
the growers here as we'll as in
Cuba"
Concerning a pecuniary interest
in the manufacture Of production Of
any item carried by the tariff bill
Senator Fletcher said he owned five
shares Of stock in a hardware COM
pany, which he has had for some
twenty odd years; also ten or twelve
shares Of stock in Florida life in
surance company, also some stock In
real estate companies engaged In de-
veloping land.
Senator Bryan told the investigat-
ing committee that he was interested
to tho extent Of about $4,000 In
some purchase money notes upon an
orange grove, but otherwise was In
terested in nothing which by any
stretch of the Imagination would be
affected by the tariff. He declared
that he had appeared before the
finance committee Of the Senate In
connection with tariff on citrus
fruits. to press an amendment d.
rected at an oversight in the House
bill with reference to the size Of Or
ange boxes.
AT 'ne suggestion Of Chairman
Uverrnan, Senator Bryan placed In
the record his correspondence with
the Florida Citrus Exchange, In
which the Exchange urged the sen.
ator to cooperate with the Louisiana
senator's with a view to protecting
oranges and grapefruit.