Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-06-21

Washington, June 13.-H. 0. Have
meyer, president of the American Sug-
ar refinery, appeared before the senate
sugar investigation committee yester-
day to give his testimony.
1t is known that Mr.. HaYemeyer was
subjected to very rigid examination
concerning his visits to Washington
last spring While the tariff bill was in
its formative process in the senate f.
nance committee, and in regard to his
interviews with senators.
Mr.. Havemeyer denied the published
statements upon which the investiga-
ton is based, both as to contributions
TO campaign funds and the demands of
the trust that it should have protection
in the tariff bill for past favors. He
! had talked with several senators in the
interest Of the proper protection Of the
refining interests, among them Sena-
tors Hill, German and Smith. The two
him, but Senator Hill had given him no
satisfaction at all.
He said the present tariff bill. was an
l,Isa tisfactOry one to the reIiutrs, be-
cause tie difference of Is Of a cent
was not sufficient tO afford all the pro-
lection which their interest should
have received. He confessed that he
had advocated the ad valorem and was
gratifed that it had been adopted to
the extent that it was.
He denied all knowledge Of specula-
ton in sugar stocks by senators.
Mr.. Havemeyer was asked about the
published statement that he had either
on E. c. Benedicts yacht, or at Green
Wich, Conn, been in consultat tim with
President Cleveland and Benedict in
1892, after Cleyeland's nomination for
the presidency, about sugar interests as
effected by the Hawaiian treaty. 10
this Mr.. Havemeyer said that there
was mot one word of truth" He also
declared that no such consultation ever
occurred at any time or place. He
added that he did not know President
Cleveland and had never seen him.
! Furthermore he had never exchanged
a word with Mr.. Benedict on the sub
ject of sugar OF on any other business
, matter.
He said that he had come to Wash
/ ington early in March, after the tariff
bill passed the house, with the hope of
getting a hearing before the finance
committee and had gone to Senator
Vest to ask him if it was not possible
to secure a hearing before the commit
tee. Mr.. Vest said no, but agreed to
allow MIN to explain the sugar Ques-
ton to him (VesO individually, and he
had done so, meeting Mr.. Vest twice.
He then explained the interview
with Senator Jones at Senator Cam
denis rooms and with Senator Caffery
at Senator Brice's house. He talked
with Mr.. Jones about three-quarters of
an hour about different systems OF
levying duties and about the cost of re-
filming sugar in this and other cOun-
tries.
He said that he was invited to Sen
ator Brice's house by the senator to
meet Senator Caffery, and when he
met him he merely went over the ar
gument for ad valorem duty. Mr..
Havemeyer said that he had gone to
the capitol with Terrell, but not for
the purpose of seeing senators or rep
resentatives.
Mr.. Havemeyer made some rather
startling statements toward the close
Of his testimony. He was asked about
the contributions of the sugar trust to
the campaign funds of political parties
and said that the records of the trust
showed that such contributions had
been made, but they were made to
state committees, not to national COM
mittees
He was asked if the contributions of
the trust were given to both parties
in the same state and he replied: "Oh,
no.
How do you arrange it," he was
asked.
We'll, New York is a democratic
state, so we give to the democrats
there and to the republicans in Massa-
chusetts. We never give to the mi
nority."
Did you contribute to the anti
snappers?' asked Senator Lodge.
"Oh, no. l am quite sure on that
point Nothing went to the and-snap-
pers.''
Mr.. Havemeyer could not remember
the amounts contributed by the sugar
trust to the different campaign funds,
but he promised to furnish them if he
could get them.
| Washington, June 14.-BefOre the
senate sugar investigation committee
yesterday President Havemeyer of the
| sugar trust, declined to give the COM
mittee the amounts contributed by the
trust to the campaign funds in differ
| ent states on the ground that none of
! them were given to secure the cleo
ton of a United States senator and
! therefore were outside the objects of
| the investigation.
| He stated that in the last three
years the profits Of the trust were 3-S
of a cent per pound on refined sugar
! and that the increased cost to the con-
sumner under the proposed bill would
! be a cent per pound. He admitted that
the purpose of the forma ton Of a trust
/ was TO increase the cost to American