New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1920-01-17

; charges, in substance, that
Parker kept down the PR
sugar while he was food
trator. This was the very
t which | was meeting when
mys speech. | charged thu
runiors were groundless
: falfe, and l am astounded
onel aspiring to the ofic
Lies tenant-Governor should
, so tittle trouble to verify b,
adopting these rumors as his
because fair play alone should
! duce one of his standing to
Investigate before uttering. |
Mr.. Gilbert himself, as he ADM
was interested in the price of )
gar for 1917. If he was interes
ed, he benefited by Mr.. Parker
action, and having benefited,
am forced to say that, whether
for political or any other reason,
he has confessed himself an in
CRATE by now denying the facts.
Mr.. Gilbert says he hoped my
statement was made in good faith
and not to deceive. He evidently
+ does not know that in over TWEEN
ty years Of political and business
activity no such inSinuation has
before been made against me in
politics. business or in my pro-
fession. What l say is always
based on facts and political aft
llatiOns do not color, shadow or
change plain facts.
Mr.. Gilbert calls upon my late
brother to rise from the grave
and hear such a statement as was
made yesterday" There can be
no doubt that this worthy gentle
man was referring to me, as no
other speaker referred to sugar
prices. For the edifcation of Mr..
Gilbert i shall now inform him
that the facts stated by me with
reference to Mr.. Parker's hav-
ing obtained $685. per hundred
pounds in 1917 bystendering his
resignation as Food Administra-
tor were told me by my late
brother, who needed not to be
drawn into this, but who, thank
God, told the truth in and out of
politics.
The charge that you and your
workers are making is that Mr..
Parker kept down the price of
sugar while Food Administrator;
while our contention is that Mr..
Parker, by virtue of his standing
as the first citizen of the State
and South, had sufficient infu-
ence to move the National Food
Administration, at a time when
the prices of sugar in Cuba,
Porto Rico and the West had ALL
ready been fixed, leaving Louisi-
ana sugar alone to be dealt with
and that he forced. raise on the
price fixed by offering to resign,
thereby obtaining for us $685. per
hundred pounds. Now | propose
to prove that l was right and be-
ing interested in sugar, YOU should
know the contentious which we
make are true; but being now in
terested in politics, you pretend
to know them to be false.
In proof Of my statement | de-
sire to reproduce the following |
telegram
Washington, D. c.. Jan. 9, 20.
E. S. Broussard, New iberia, Va.
Slight error in figures telegram
eight. My telegram should read
Sugar division food administra-
ton insisted on fixing price Lou
isiana raws at five eighty cents
per hundred pound while Parker
insisted on not less than six thirty
i've. As sugar division refused to
yield Parker stated he would re-
sign as food administrator unless
higher price was agreed on. The
matter was then appealed to Mr..
Hoover who after interview with 4
Mr.. Parker agreed to price de-
handed by Parker. Parker's ac-
ion backed by committee of
planters of great financial benefit
o industry. Above facts re
ported to me by Senator Brous-
ard and others who were present .
when controversy came up and
natter discussed.
w. P. MARTIN"
In further refutation Of yo1ri
-ersion of the facts, / quote what
dr. Horace Wilkinson has said:
In September, 1917, when con-
Iitions justified large increase
n sugar over pre-war prices, the
american Sugar Refining Com
any made an offer of $3.50 for
II T |