Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1913-09-12
WATSON DENIES
THAT He WAS
A LOBBYIST
SAYS THAT He DID NOT REPRESENT
MANUFACTURERS IN CONGRESS
BUT after He HAD Been OUT
A MONTH he Went ON the
PAY ROLL.
TAKES A SHOT AT
BRYAN and LECTUR|NG

Washington, d. C., Sept. 12.-For-
mer Representative James E. Watson
of Indiana, before the house lobby
committee today made a general de-
NAL of Martin NJ. Mulhall's charges
that he was one of the active friends
of the National Association of Manu-
facturers in congress during many
years.
AT no time while was in congress,
or after left congress" said Watson,
was | in the employ of the National
Association of Manufacturers, for any
purpose" nor was at any time a
lobbyist or lawyer for it.
Watson said he did work for the ma.
tional tariff commission association,
an organization of several hundred as
sociations and many individuals, OF
which the National Association of
Manufacturers was one. He declared
that Mulhall's charge that he used his
influence to put certain men on house
committees and remove others was
without IOuHudllOl.
You don't need to tell the sun to
shine; you don't need to tell the birds
to sing any more than you needed to
tell Uncle Joe Cannon who to appoint
on committees" he said
"The committees were made up by
Mr. Cannon, Busby. his secretary, and
Asher Kinds, the house parliamentary
ian, and never obtruded my opn-
ions"
When asked to give an opinion on
a mans fitness for committee posi-
tion he gave it, but went no further.
Watsons said he never was appoint
ed by any National Association of Man,
ufacturers official to favor any legisla-
ton, and never was interested partic-
ularly in any bills they favored, ex-
cent an anti-injunction bill, and the
T1oposed exemption of labor unions
from the operation offtne Sherman
law He said he help the same view
as the association on these matters.
Watson explained that Mulhall ex.
pected to assist him in his campaign
lOr governor Ill IJuo, UllL WOl hCu why
a few months and did not make his
promises good He denied that Null
hall helped raise $4,000 in that cam
paign. His employment by the tariff
association was in 1909, nearly
month after he left congress. He said
he was in charge of a campaign for
tariff commission while the Payne bill
was in the house and later in the SEN
ate.
"There was nothing insiduous about
my employment" said he, 81 was not
in congress and | thought had a
right to that employment. | received
$3.50 a week and my expenses and
probably a retainer of $500. There
may have been some talk of contin-
gent fee, but it must have been among
the officers, | never heard anything
about it.
"While l was whip of the house for
six years." declared Watson, pounding
on the table in front of him, 81 was
intimately acquainted with almost ev-
cry member, and i never knew cor
rupt man in the house"
When questioned about lectures for
the manufacturers, or allied organiza-
tions, Watson diverted to take shot
at Secretary Bryan.
"He is the John d. Rockefeller of
Chautauqua platform" said Watson.
F'He has made more money out OF it
than anybody else and he has made
more money because he has gone
about abusing the other fellows for
making money"
Watson disclaimed any knowledge |
of the blacklist" of six congressman |
Mulhall said he had written. He said |
the six names were in his handwriting |
but he had. not the slightest idea why |
he has written them.