Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-06-11
SUGAR MEN TELL
OF LIBERAL PAY
Salaries of $1,000 and $625
a Month for Work in Ma
tionaI Capital.
MADE NO IMPROPER USE
OF MONEY, THEY DECLARE
Hawaiian Planters Joined With
Beet Sugar Interests in Oppose
ton to Free Trade.

Activities of Hawaiian sugar interests
in behalf of tariff on sugar were taken
up again today by the committee.
Royal d. Mead of the Hawaiian Sugar
Planters Association. the first witness to-
day, said he received a salary of $1,000 a
month for his work in Washington. His
efforts, he said, were confined 20 the
gathering and distribution of sugar sta
tistcs. and he thought $4,000 would cover
his annual expenditures. He had been
associated with the domestic sugar pro-
ducers' organization. which has directed
the sugar tariff publicity campaign in
Washing on. In May. he said, he and
Sidney NJ. Ballou terminated a $500 a
month contract for publicity work. by the
press service bureau of which Z. w.
Mayo was head.
Mead produced a detailed account of all
his receipts and expenditures In Wash
ington. He had received 5000 from the
Hawaiian Sugar Association and had
spent $5,54S 16 up to last night.
Mead told the committee that after
terminating the $1,000 publicity con-
tract with Mayo, the domestic sugar
producers had retained Mayo at a
salary Of 5000 a week to help run the
ugar publicity campaign. None Of the
money spent for advertising said Mr..
Mead had been used to influence the
total amount spent by the Hawaiian
planters association for all purposes
was about 100000 year. he raid, was
raised by assessment. the total being
total production. Most Of the money
had been used he said. for sugar ex-
pertinent station in Hawaii. and for
securing Philippine laborers.
Newspaper Publishers Summoned.
Upon the demand Of Senator Gronna
the committee today subpoenaed A. T.
Moore. publisher. and A. NJ. Baker.
manager. OF the Courier News OF
Fargo, N. D.. to explain a recent edi-
torial intimating that Senator Gronna
knew something of the use of money
in Washington to influence legisla-
ton.
Elmer +. Paxton of Hawaii said he
came to WASHINGTON in March to rep
resent Alexander & Baldwin. owners
of Hawaiian sugar plantations worth
$27. 100000.
Conferences had been held with other
sugar interests, he said. and letters
had been sent to the $500 or 1000 Gus
toners of his firm. urging them to
write to their representatives and sem
ators and protest against free sugar.
Helped Beet Sugar Men.
Mr.. Paxton admitted having given
help to the campaign of the beet sugar
interests. as the Hawaiian people want
ed to get al the help they could to
prevent this legislation
He knew nothing Of the forces behind
the organized campaign in western states
by which senators and representatives
we're flooded with kilograms and letters
from beet sugar districts.
why do you want to help the beet
sugar interests when 1t would simply
strengthen their competition against your
pruducers?" asked Senator Reed.
I'VE don't fear the beet sugar as much
as we do free sugar." answered Mr..
Paxton.
Lobbyists Salary, $4,000.
Sidney Ballou, who. with former Gov.
Carter has been very active in the fight
made by Hawaiian sugar producers to
retain a duty on sugar, testified that he
was the regular agent Of the sugar pro-
ducers in Washington with salary OF
$4,000 and 5000 q year for expenses.
He agreed with Mr.. Carter that about
500, 900 had been spent by the sugar peo-
pie in their campaign al ainst free su ar.
He denied. however. that there has been
any tangible combination between the
United States cane and beet and
Hawaiian cane producers.
He to the committee that Secretary
Tumulty had denied the Hawaiian sugar
men an aud ence with President Wilson.
and that a member Of the Senate finance
subcommittee, in charge of su ar, Sen
atOr Gore, had suggested that they be
given q hearing after the passage of the
bill.