Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1894-08-02
HARTER TO HAyEMEYER.
The Representative Writes the President
of the Sugar Trust.

VI the sugar ITust'
WAsHINGToN, July 23.-The following
letter from NJ. d. Harter, Chairman OF
the House Subcommittee on Trusts, to
H. o. Havemeyer, President OF the
American Sugar Refining Company, was
mailed to-day:
" If you supply to me, as Chairman OF
the Subcommittee on Trusts and Manu-
factures, the information asked for here
in, | will see that it is laid before the
public. A free trader myself, and believ-
ing no tax should be levied on sugar (nor
anything else) except for revenue never
theless, as practically every article OF
general consumption is to retain protec-
ton, | feel no prejudice against the sugar
interest as such, and think large num-
Der of the members Of the House enter
tain the same view. As, however, the
sugar trust demands protection, or, more
properly speaking, the taxation OF the
public for its profit, it should put before
Congress and the public its real condi-
ton, so that an intelligent opinion OF the
merits OF its demand may be formed.
If, upon an actual and necessary invest
ment OF cash capital, you cannot save
yourself from loss without burdening the
taxpayers, then sugar has as much justi-
tication fand more) for being fed from
the public resources by taxation as many
industries which we aid in passing the
Wilson bill, and it should be allowed to
remain upon the charity list. ii, how
ever, its profits have been excessive,
w HntIra ~ nm, nptrol nooh nd
UNIV altered capital stock, then you, as a
fair minded man, will agree with me
that you should not have any legislative
favors. In such an event tax of cent
per pound upon l00-degree sugar, for
revenue only, would be fair and eQuita-
bic one, permitting a reduction OF one
hundredth OF cent for each degree Of
sweetness lacking. Such tax as this,
while taking nothing from the treasury
OF your company, would pour great
many millions into the government cof-
fers. The information asked for is COM
pretended under four heads:
First-What is the present tax value,
i. e., cost OF replacing of its plants actu-
ally in operation and necessary to pro-
duce the quantity of refined sugar turned
out by your company!
"Second-What have been the actual
profits of the American Sugar Refining
Company for each full fiscal year since
its organization, and what are its profits
SO far in the current year?
"Third-What annual salary is paid
to each of its general officers?
Fourth-What is the actual paid-in
cash capital, including the plants turned
in at their real cash market value, and
what is the present surplus fund of the
company, including all individual prof
| its?
"The Mckinley bill gives the sugar
refners an opportunity Of collecting from
the consumer tax of one-half of cent
per pound upon all sugars above No. IS,
Dutch standard, and the consumption of
all classes of sugar during the past three
fiscal years, aggregating 1886, 1902, 446
pounds, fully 5000, 900, 900 OF which were
above this limit. 1t follows therefore
that the sugar trust and independent re-
liners in the United States must have
received over S40,000,000 of the peoples
money, while the government received
during the three years $470,75l. As your
company has asked certain favors, the
propriety OF supplying the country with
the information asked herein will not
be questioned by so reasonable man of
business as yourself. You are Demo-
crat, and will, trust, join me in the
hope that within few years the present
wretched system of taxing the people
(under the misleading notion of protec-
tion) for the benefit OF private interests
would be done away with entirely and
forever"