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Show SUTHERLAND AND LOBBY Utah's Junior Senator Tells of His Interest in Sugar Has Never Known of A n y Attempt At-tempt to Improperly Influence Legislation Washington. June 0 The Senate's lobby hunt plunged Into its second week today Less than a dozen senators sen-ators remained io be examined be-, be-, fore the committee took up another trail and began calling a score or I more of men mentioned in the testl-I testl-I mony of senators as being ou one side or the other of the free sugar fight, or of being attorneys for spe-, spe-, cial representatives In Washington President Wilson told callers to- day he expected the lobby lnvesti-I lnvesti-I gatiou to have benefieial results through the publicity given to the conditions surrounding the making of the tariff bill When asked his opinion opin-ion of the charge made by Senator Townsend as to his own Influence with reference to legislation, the president replied it needs no comment. com-ment. Senator Sutherland, the first wit-I wit-I ness told the committee he owned L'imi shares in the I'tah-ldaho Sugar Company worth ?7 B6 a share, and 50 j shares in the Amalgamated Sugar company, worth (100 a share He hail no Interest In wool, hut declared he ' had voted and would vote for t reas-1 ! enable duty n sugar and wool. An' other course on his part, he said, would he nothing more than ' hypo- i critical affection." In a long service in the house and 1 I senate. " he added. "J have never know n any member of either body to j J be Improperly influenced cm any leg-j leg-j lalafJon nor have I known of any at- I (tempt on the part of an v one to ex-1 , ert Improper influence " No Connections With Sugar. Senator Reed said he had no per-1 sonal connections affected by the I tariff and had talked reduction to all his brother senators whenever DOSSl ble He did not know any lobbyist, at least in a way to associate names and faces, had no! been subject to any attempts at Influence; ind kn. n nothing of any use of money Improp erly, but was certain however, thai ;i new system f attempting to iiiii ence legislation had risen In this country, coun-try, lie illustrated by telling the committee com-mittee about telegrams rrom horse j and mule dealers In St. Ix)uis, say-1 lng: "Please vote for a duty on sugar; It is very necessary to preserve the mule Industry of Missouri " ' It Is plain to me that sugar planters plant-ers were seeking to influence the men from whom they bought mul is said lie Judging from these clrcum stances and others 1 believe there is a system growing up by which it tempts are made to reach representatives representa-tives or senators by Indirect methods It begins through business connec tlous and finally they find somone in the district of n representative and through hi'" make an appeal to local citizens and have them send letters or telegrams appealing In behalf of the people Ol the Mate. s a matter of fact, It Is an appeal from the pH(J. pie. but :t selfish appeal I don't think this has been confined to tariff egs. latlon I think a strong effort Is be Ine made hero to nffeet the passage of tho tariff bill or effect a modlfka y tion of It. How strong it is. I don't know ' 'How many senators of the seventy I you have beard testify here do you j think have been improperly Influenced?" Influ-enced?" asked Senator Nelson. I "None " Senators Have Been Immune 'You think senators have so far been Immune from the serious infection infec-tion of the lobby .'" I think thnt ror many years the majority In congress may have been Influenced by argument put forth by elfl li interests and that manj en ators have been influenced by them That was when the lobby flourished I In Washington like a 'green bavj I lr'?e " ; The country doesn't need any pro ' fesnlonal lobbyists, " he said. "1 do I believe In free speech. I believe In the right of a litignnt who comes him- self or sends his attorney and makt s bis showing and then goes home and! does not stay and try to get private conferences with members of the court. It is a very unpleasant thing when congress Is In session that interests in-terests Bend representatives to the capital, open headquarters. employ : clerks and fasten themselves here I like barnacles. Lobbying is the busi-j busi-j ness of changing votes. The men who come here all want lo get something by virtue of law or maintain some advantage they have got. Senator Daukhead said he had served serv-ed ji; years in congress, had heard oil lobbies, but never saw one He dtdn I agree thai running headquarters here to influence legislation was to be con- ; deraued Senator Walsh said he had small ln-i ln-i r. -ts in coal, copper and zinc mines. call farms and citrus iruit lands in florida Montana, he said, was vitally Interested In the tariff on sugar and wool We expected a great reduction." bo said a vc-rv substantial one on wool and sugar, but we did confidently confi-dently expect them to carry a revenue duty." When the last senator had testified it was predicted ai the capltol that the report of the iuvestigators would substantially uphold President Wilson's Wil-son's declaration thnt powerful In- : I , ii o.; have i.c en n i worl In Washington, Wash-ington, attempting to affect congressi on the tariff bill Whether It will be shown that Insidious'' In-sidious'' methods have been us-ed. or that Improper Influences have been exerted upon senators will depend i on the evidence of the next few davs. when the committee examines a score or more of men who have called on senators' or directed publicity com-paigns, com-paigns, The committee undoubtedlv will recommend restrictive legislation of a strong character It will attempt to draw a clear distinction, however, between an organized campaign to change public oplniou or Influence senators against their judgment and the legitimate presentation by officers offi-cers or representatives of industrial concerns affected by legislation. |
