Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-06-17
SENATOR DEFENDS
LABOR LOBBY IN
WORKING FOR ACT
Smith, of Michigan, Says
American Federation Always
Has Agents in Capital.

WASHINGTON, June 17.-Senator
William Alden Smith, of Michigan,
declared before the Senate lobby in
vestigating committee today that the
clause in the sundry civil bill. now
awaiting President Wilson's sigma
ture, exempting labor unions and
farmers organiza tions from prosecu-
tion under the Sherman antitrust
law, represented the work of a lobby
The American Federation of Labor,
he declared, had lobbied for the ex-
emption, although Samuel Gompers,
the senator said, had admitted to him
that it was class legislation, a term
former President Taft applied in We
toing the bill last spring.
"The very bill on the Presidents s
desk this morning" he said, was put
through by lobby of labor organiza-
tions; they know there is class legis-
lation in It, Samuel Gompers admitted
to me 1t was class legislation and
that's the kind of lobby think ex-
lists.
Says They Have the Right.
"Of course, the American Federation
of Labor has lobby here. l don't
condemn it. They have right to be
here: so have the sugar people and
the steel people and the others. I
think there is a very considerable
lobby here; there always has been
and always will be, and l think it is
appropriate and has right to be
here.
I'm everything ! have done here 1
have encountered the lobby. 1t
doesn't do me any harm. I en-
countered it in the Titanic investiga-
tion and the Mexican revolution. They
are here. and they have right to be
here.''
Senator Smith added he knew John
Norris, of the newspaper people"
had been here for free print paper.
He was for it and 1 was against
it," said the senator. 81 own a paper,
but I'm more of a protectionist than
a newspaper man." He added that
the temperance people" had main
tanned lobby in Washington.
You don't attach any odious sig
nificance to the lobby do your" asked
Senator Walsh.
Il do not 1t is obstinate and often
unwise, but these people have right
to be here and be heard
Senator Smith said he approved of
the use of influence by Presidents.
He said that every President since
Cleveland had undertaken to influ-
ence legislation, and added that If
he had been in the White House he
would have done the same thing.
Only Two Left to BE Heard.
Senator Colt, of Rhode Island, and
Senator Smith were the first wit
nesses before the committee. Only
two other senators-Culberson of
Texas and Burleigh of Maine-re-
mained to be heard. The testimony
of lobby witnesses was interrupted
with the idea of finally disposing of
all senators.
Senator Colt said he had no interest
in any concern interested in the tariff
bill. No person, he said, had at
tempted improperly to influence him.
and he knew nothing of any lobby
working in Washington.
Senator Smith testified that as a
newspaper owner he bought probably
$4,000 worth of paper year.
Senator Smith said he was in favor
of the annexation of Cuba, and that
if it were annexed he would be will
ing to let Cuban sugar and other
products come in free. He had made
this argument to President Roose-
welt when Cuban reciprocity was up
in Congress.
w. j. Strassburger, of Pittsburgh,
secretary and treasurer of the Allie
gheny Plate Glass Company, Glass
mere, Pa. testified that twelve plate
glass companies had men here during
the present tariff discussion. Strass-
burger aroused the committee by de-
daring that figures purporting to
show the difference in cost of produc-
ton of plate glass here and abroad
appearing in the ways and means
committees tariff handbook were
those presented in a brief filed by
importers and not government statis-
tics such as were presented on other
schedules