The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1888-03-29
THE SUGAR INDUSTRY
Claus spreckles Says it Must Have
Protection.
He Declares That, Having Worked All
His Life for Himself, He is Now
Going to Work for the Amer
can People.

w ASHlNGTON, mdTCn A4.-In6 House
Committee on manufactures resumed
its investigations into the sugar trusts
yesterday morning, and Mr.. Claus
Spreckles, of San Frandisco, was ex-
amined. There were two refineries in
operation on the Pacific coast, witness
said-the American Refinery, with a
capacity of 100000 or 100000 pounds
daily, and the witness refinery, with a
daily capacity of 100000 pounds. OF
the raw sugar used this year in the
witness refinery, about 10000 tons, or
one third of the annual crop, came
from Hawaii; 10000 or $4,000 tons from
the PHILIPPINE Islands and about COO
tons from Central America The price
Of raw sugar from Hawaii was former
y fixed by the price in Manila, p l.,
but for the last three years it has been
regulated by the New York market.
The trust combination has undOubted-
y tended to lower the price of raw
sugar and to raise the price of refined
sugar. Sugar was cheaper San Fran,
,isco than in New York, but of course
when sugar went up in New York ii
went up in San Francisco.
Representative Wilson-Then, by re.
manning out, you have reaped the same
benefits as those who have gone into
he trust?
A.-Correct,
Q-rhen the trust is good for you?
A.-Well, l don't know so much
about that. The trust may say
"Spreckles won't join the trust, but we
will crush him out We will put the
price of sugar in San Francisco down
to so cents, and make our profit here. -
[ have come East to start a factory so
as to get my share here. ra
Q.-This investigation is to ascertain.
whether the tendency of these combi-
nations is injurious to the interests OF
consumers. Now, as matter of fact,
has not their effect been to produce
competition and lessen the price of
sugar, instead of producing an opposite
effect?
Al don't agree with you there. ]
don't believe so. They are not going
to form trust to work for the people.
but are going to work for their pock-
cts. ....... ....'...
Q.-The trust says that your building
of an Eastern refinery is a mere pre-
text.
A.-No, Jhere has been some talk
about it being bluff, You will see what
will do. don't bluff; but when they
bluff l make them show their hands.
Speaking of the probable growth OF
the beet sugar industry in this country
the witness said if the United States
could be sure of a certain amount OF
protection there was no question bui
what in eight or ten years the beef
production would supply this country
with sugar. John E. Searles had re-
qUested witness to go into the trust.
he was sick when Mr. Searles called OF
him, and did not remember what i'll
ducements or advantages that gentle
man offered him. The conversation
lasted but a few minutes and occurred
four or five days ago. He remembered
asking how to get out of the trust after
once being in it, and was told that once
in you could never get out. Free
sugar, he said, would break up hetrust,
bat it would also destroy the sugar
industry in this country. He stated:
81 am not the man you perhaps have
heard that 1 was. Claus Spreckles IS
not the man to swallow brick houses
and cObblestones and digest them. If
you take the duty off, you take mil
lion and hslf from me and my asso-
ciates. But if it is for the benefit of
the American people, why should l
alone be favored and not the other
people. can't take anything along
with me. l have worked for Claus
Spreckles all my life, and now l am
going to work for the American people"