The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-06-19
Insisted in Treating COntrO-
versy on News Basis.
BRISTOW "HARD TO HANDLE"
"LOOks Through Telescope With
Big End Toward Him."
So Reads Letter Exchanged Be-
tween Sugar Lobbyists.

Washington, June 19.-Melville E.
Stone, general manager of the Asso-
ciated Press, testified at his own re-
quest today before the senate lobby
committee, regarding the claims con-
tanned in some of the correspondence
of Clarence c. Hamlin as to publicity
beet sugar men had hoped to obtain
through the Associated Press. Ham
Inns letters had been read into the
committees records two days after
having been subpoenaed from the
flies of the United States beet sugar
industry.
Before Mr.. Stone testified Senator
NewlanGs too kthe witness chair to
make a brief state ment concerning
the us eof his name in some of the
correspondence introduced yesterday.
Presents All Correspondence.
Mr.. Stone presented all his letters
and records bearing on the demands
cf the beet sugar interests for public
ity through the news association. He
testified on October IL, 1911, John r.
Arbuckle, a sugar refiner, when leaV-
ing for Europe, had given out an in
terview favoring free raw sugar. That
interviey was carried by the Associated
Press, he said. On October Is, a short
interview given out by Clarence c.
Hamlin at Colorado Springs, answer
ing the Arbuckle interview was also
carried by the Associated Press. The
Arbuckle statement, he said, was
about 1000 words long; the Hamlin
statement about $50 words.
Associated Press Impartial.
Mr.. Hamlin then worte Mr.. Stone
asking that the beet sugar interests
be given as good treatment as the
sugar refiners. The correspondence
between Mr. Stone and Mr. Hamlin
them of considerable length, and
showed that Mr.. Hamlin had sought
greater publicity from the Associated
Press than Mr.. Stone cared to give it
The correspondence showed cOnclu-
sively that the Associated Press had
handled the sugar controversy purely
fro ma standpoint of its news value
and had treated the contending inter-
ests-beet sugar and can sugar indus
tries-impartially.
stand in With Taft.
letter from Oxnard to Palmer
July 16, 1908, said in part:
'I spent a day with Mr.. Thomas re-
Gently on his yacht and he seems to
think we had better stand in with Taft
If possible"
a letter from Palmer attacked Taft
for his stand on Philippine legislation
and said he had given some assurances
10 the sugar men but would give no
pledges that they could rely on.
A letter from Palmer to Oxnard
July 8. 1908, in part said:
when Taft was nominated L sent
him a congratulatory telegram and
this morning received his thanks. On
the 29th, 1 sent him a letter recalling
my last interview with him and en-
close copy herewith. 1 hope that he
will not convey a verbal reply through
some third party. 1 think my letter is
as diplomatic as the facts would war
rant and that he will have to fall
either into our industry or on the 9TH
er side"
BristOw Hard Man to Handle.
Palmer wrote Hamlin August 8,
1911:
''I have found Bristow hard man
to handle, for once he gets an idea into
his head, he does not seem to be will
ing to consider the various angles of
the situation, rather is inclined to look
straight through a telescope with big
end toword him."
After explaining that he had appear
ed before the Hardwick committee at
a New York hearing, Palmer adued
this postscript:
Il had no idea Of going over to New
York but Mr.. Spreckels was having
things all his own way over there and
Mr.. Oxnard wired me to come over.
BY going on the stand few min
utes I dropped a rock into the thresh-
ing machine that threw the belt and I
am glad / went over"