Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1913-06-13
WILSON'S NAME
IN LOBBY PROBE
Senator Says His Activity is
''Undue Influence"
OLIVER BkLKS AT QUERIES
Pennsylvania Senator Tells of HI.
Holdings In Steel, But Declines te
Sneak of Other investments.


An unexpected turn was given Il
the senates lobby investigation II
Washington when Senator Townsend
of Michigan, Republican, declared o.
the stand that the influence welded D..
President Wilson and by the Demo
cratic secret caucus, upon the making
of the tariff bill, constituted the neil
est approach to undue influence upoL
members of congress" that the invesil
eating committee would be able u
find.
Senator Townsend criticised tn'
committee for not having asked mem
bers of the senate whether the pres
dent had sought to influence them, and
declared that even though the presl
dent had. not intended it, his recen'
denunciation of "lobbies"~ working III
support of changes in the tariff, Woul
force certain senators to vote against
amendments they knew to be just.
"Who are those senators?" demand
ed Senator Reed.
81 don't care to name anyone" re
turned Townsend.
The two Democratic members OF the
committee present, Senators Reed and
Walsh, Indignantly resented any lntf
nation that President Wilson had used
patronage or threats to force any one
to support free sugar or free WOOL OF
to support the bill as a whole. Senator
Townsend insisted the committee had
not asked any senator thus far wheth'
er President Wilson had tried to infiu'
ence him.
81 move" interrupted Senator
Walsh, "that in view Of the seriou:
statements made touching the execu'
tive. that any senator who has already
testified may be recalled and interro
gated in reference thereto"
81 am for that" said Senator Mel
son, and members Of the committee
agreed.
Dragging President Wilson's tariff
activities into the investigation some
what intentifed feeling within the
committee, and it is expected that il
will make more searching the investi
cations still to be carried on.
Senator Weeks, Of Massachusetts,
also a Republican, following Senator
Townsend on the stand, expressed the
opinion that Executives have ha
more influence on bills than all the
persons who have come to Washington
put together"
Senator Oliver, of Pennsylvania
told the probers that he was the owner
of 1000 shares of preferred stock ir
the United States Steel corporation.
but he did not expect the tariff in any
way to affect its value.
81 have always held" he said, "that
so far as the iron and steel schedule
of the tariff is concerned, the Unite1
States Steel corporation is very much
less subject to menace than the small
manufacturers would be to change in
rates."
In. addition to the steel stock, Mr.
Oliver said he had an investment ol
S1,5O0OO0 in two Pittsburgh newsra
pers and 7700 preferred shares and
about fifty common shares in the Pitts
burgh Coal company, whose product
might be affected by the tariff.
IT never sought to influence any
senator in regard to the tariff on az!
of the articles in which I am concern
ed" said he, NOR has any one sous
to influence me improperly"
Persons who had called on him l..
cluded: W. L. Claus, ". S. Stra
burger, A. F. Gaffney, John Pitcai"'
Edward E. Marshall, Art ur B. D vi
John H. Penny, Colin Living tone an
w. L. Kann.
Oliver declined to tell of his in7es,
ments in copper or in other lines tn
he said were not affec. ed by the tart
or other legislation before consce
81 am perfectly wiling to giTe tt:'
public an inventory Of every: hing
own" he said, 'but | do no, nix III
purpose of this inves ,igation IS, to Oh
tain an inventory Of every S; nasors
property"
Oliver said he knew Of no steel lob
by and no representatives of the steel
interests maintained in Washington tc
look after the tariff or o;her questions
Senator Dupont, of Delaware, said
he owned several farms, 1000 shares
in the Pennsylvania S,eel company
1000 shares in the National Biscuit
company and no powder stock.
"When I came to the senate l haG
a small amount Of stock in the Dupont
Powder company, but l disposed OF
that long ago." said he. 81 have never
felt it proper, however, for me to take
part in any debates in the senate in
volving powder questions, or to talk
with senators about the subject"
Senator Dupont said that, though he
was a member of the senate military
committee, the committee had 40 et
without his cooperation upon legisla
ton concerning powder.
4. Ia - HHi