Mr. MAYER. You totalized the amount sold to the International Harvester Co. ?

'Mr. SPENCER. No; I have not. Dr. Rendon states that the total amount sold to the Harvester Co. was 396,000 bales.

The CHAIRMAN. I suppose the statement itself will show.

Mr. FISHER. As I understand it, however, you are going to give us all the transactions prior to that time?

Mr. SPENCER. We are going to give them from the very beginning, so far as that is concerned.

The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Spencer, have you finished?

Mr. SPENCER. Yes, sir; I have.

The CHAIRMAN. You wanted to call attention to something, Mr. Fisher?

Mr. FISHER. There was a reference made in the testimony, of which copies have not been furnished us, but I find apparently were furnished to the stenographer, and shown in this galley proof I have here, a letter which Mr. Wexler seems to have written to Salvador Alvarado in regard to the agreement that no change should take place in the personnel of the Reguladora Comision during the five years to which the contract relates. However, I do not find Gen. Alvarado's

letter to Mr. Wexler in which he says he objected to that being done. I think we ought to have it.

Mr. SPENCER. Put that on your list.

Mr. FISHER. It is pretty hard for us to check up the papers which have already been introduced, because the proof is coming along slowly. I suppose it is held up because of these Spanish names, which are being checked before it goes to print. I suppose Mr. Meehan is assisting in that?

Mr. MEEHAN. I have not been doing any checking except for the first few days. I checked over Dr. Rendon's testimony for the first three days.

Mr. FISHER. All right; I assumed the slowness in getting the proof was due to the Spanish names, which the stenographer is getting. because I noticed in part of the transcript being furnished now there were omissions at various times, evidently of that character, and it is a little difficult. However, if this committee is going to adjourn over, as is suggested, that will give us an opportunity to catch up with the printer, and then we could check and call your attention to those things which have been omitted.

Mr. SPENCER. If you will call my attention to any document we have omitted to bring in, I will see that you get it.

Mr. FISHER. You will remember there was a good deal of discussion at one point about the names of the brokers who were said to have given Dr. Rendon the information upon which he based the statement that 75 per cent of the raw sisal which is bought by the harvester company or the Plymouth Cordage Co. is resold to others. Mr. SPENCER. I beg your pardon.

Mr. FISHER. The quotation is very clear. The statement in the Dr. Rendon book is as follows [reading]:

About 25 per cent of their direct purchases of sisal they manufacture into binder twine, the remaining 75 per cent of the raw sisal they resell to other American manufacturers of binder twine.

Dr. Rendon said he would give us the names of the brokers.

The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Fisher, can you not ask that in the written request and not take up the time of the committee now by reading such things?

Mr. FISHER. I can, except this has handicapped us in getting in touch with these witnesses. I have taken occasion to check up some of the statements, and when it is proper I have some evidence to offer about previous statements; but, as you see, you are anxious to get along as a matter of time, and if we do not get these things until quite late we have no opportunity,

The CHAIRMAN. As far as you can, why not make a written statement to-day, at once, telling what you want up to date, and where it is proper we will ask the gentlemen to give it.

it

Mr. FISHER. All right.

Mr. SPENCER. If he will give us the statement to-day, we will take

up

at once.

The CHAIRMAN. Let us go on, gentlemen.

Mr. SPENCER. May I make one statement?
The CHAIRMAN. Yes.

Mr. SPENCER. We have a Spanish witness we intended to put on, but who is preparing his statement. It is, of course, a matter laborious in character, and it has to be translated, and it is pretty hard

for him to get correct translation. So we are having that done, and we hope to put that in to-morrow.

The CHAIRMAN. One witness?

Mr. SPENCER. One witness.

Mr. FISHER. Mr. Spencer, would you object to giving the name of that witness so we will have it?

Mr. SPENCER. No; it is Escalante, who is a member of the Reguladora.

Mr. FISHER. Not Escalante Bates?

Mr. SPENCER. No; Escalante; a member of the Reguladora. He does not speak English, so it will be impossible for him to make his statement here.

The CHAIRMAN. If that is all on that score, we can hear Mr. Orth. Mr. FISHER. Mr. Chairman, might I ask, have Mr. Wexler and Mr. Dinkins, of the Reguladora, finished the introduction of their testimony, with the exception of the Spanish witness to whom reference is made?

Mr. MAYER. We decline positively to commit ourselves. We are going to furnish such evidence as we deem necessary until the hearing closes.

The CHAIRMAN. The committee is going to keep on introducing any witnesses which it thinks best. We are not proceeding as in a court with plaintiff and defendant, we are getting things in as well as we can. I do not know what side the wardens of the penitentiaries might be said to be on. They are very kindly coming here to give their evidence, and we are thankful to them for it.

Mr. FISHER, On a number of occasions, Mr. Chairman, you have asked me to wait until these gentlemen have finished their case.

The CHAIRMAN. That is all they have right now ready. If they get any more ready, and we think they ought to be given a chance to put it in, we will do so, and we will let you put in all you get ready, too, on the same basis

Mr. FISHER. I do not want to take up time unnecessarily, but, if I understand it, this inquiry is the result of a desire on the part of Mr. Wexler and Mr. Dinkins to make clear their position. They believe they are being improperly criticized, and they have sought this occasion for the purpose stated.

Mr. SPENCER. You started it.

The CHAIRMAN. I consider it absolutely immaterial, and we going to go on with this testimony as soon as we come back from the Senate floor, and if counsel want to get on with the testimony, I would ask them to help the committee rather than block it.

Senator GRONNA. I was absent, Mr. Fisher. Are you through? Mr. FISHER. Yes, sir, I think so, Senator.

Senator GRONNA. I understand that Mr. Loring would like to be heard, and if there is no objection the committee will hear Mr. Loring. STATEMENT OF MR. AUGUSTUS P. LORING, PRESIDENT PLYMOUTH CORDAGE CO., BEVERLY, MASS.

Mr. LORING. My name is Augustus P. Loring, Beverly, Essex County, Mass., and I am president of the Plymouth Cordage Co., and have been since 1897. Previous to that I was connected with the company as clerk of the corporation and secretary of the board of directors, since 1884.