The times., 1897-05-31
KNOCKED OUT THE TRUST
The Sugar Barons Lose the
Indian Bureau Contract.
IMPORTED ARTICLE WINS
The Havenieyer Concern Dictates
Uniform Price to Bidfiers-A New
York Broker Cuts Under Their
Figure and LIS Sustained by See
retary Bliss.

Secretary Bliss is apparently one of the
Trust for any past or present favors. 1t
Is true, his is not an elective office, but all
the same. his name may figureintiied debate
which is bound to cnsue over the refusal
Cf the Indian Bureau TO pay the trust a
higher price for sugar than it can be had
sroH foreign importers.
The news comes from New York W here
tie transaction was had that the Indian
Bureau has purchased 100000 pounds OF
foreign granulated sugar from G. A jain,
of Wooster street, for S53, l25. The inter
csting par Of the purchase is that four
New York agents and one Chicago agent
bid in i,eha.f of the trust. Mr. Jahn, how
ever knowing the trust price, cut under il,
the trlst price being IL 100 cents and
that Of Mr.. j ahn 35-1 cents
The sugar trust appears TO have made
the mistake of presundng that what &C.
curred last year would occur this year
The information is that although the trust
bid higher last year than certain other
competitors it get the contract.
AS so7n as the bids were opened and IL
was seen that the contract, which is the
largest single transaction in sugar OF the
Government, would go 10 MIR. Jahn there
was protest just as was made last year.
The protest was on the sentimental ground
that MT. jain would be obliged to fill
the contract with foreign sugar.
The appeal TO Mr.. Jones, Commissioner
of the Indian Bureau. was in vain. He
informed the pretestants that the sugar
came up to the requirements, it was the
cheapest, ara the contract would stand.
Mr. Bliss happened to be in New York on
Saturday, and he indorsed the action of
MIR. Jones ard there the matter rests.
The consequence of the trust controlling
prices was voiced by one of the dealers
who lost his share of the $53,125 lie
said:
This state OF affairs has come about
not because American sugar could not
have been Offered, at a profit, as low
as the foreign production, but because the
sugar trust dictated the price at which
we should offer it.
1T would rot be well for me if the trust
knew 1 was complaining, but its arbi-
trary action is an outrage, and the result
in this case is that their own product
is kept out OF the Indian Bureau To the
injury OF dealers and all the workers
in the industry. Even the sacks in which
tle sugar viii be imported Will be OF
foreign make.
This iS the effect of the factor plan,
which ensorces an equality price that is.
we. the factors, must sell at Just the price
the trust dictates As lit controls he Ameri-
can output, we are helpless When the price
changes We are notified, and are governed
bY the new figures. II we should depart
from them the American Sugar Refining
Company would quote US price on sugar
t''at would be prohibitory, and drive us
ont OF the business. I'm this case many Of
and made profit, but we didn't dare TO-
THE price as made by the trust when
we put in our bids was 4 / . cents, which
with the regular allowed discount, could
he brought down to 41-1oo cents: so we
had to all put our bids at that figure
We were simply lot of dummies acting
for the trust. We had no right 10 say
what we would do in our own business.
The difference between our offer AMI
the accepted price is only $4,000: but the
precedent will be most injurious to the
trade, for il is striking at the home buoi-
ness The action of the department vii!
give prestige 10 the reignmauufacturer
who supplies the sugar, and he will use
it to his best advantage and to our injury
The news Will go all over the world that
the American Government is buying for
eign sugar and ignoring the great home
Industry that il talks so much about fos-
tering'