New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-06-17
THE SUGAR TRUST lNNkall"Ai'O- >'
rrsr,NoNY or JAMES II. I0ST bf'' yin"
INDUSTRIAL COMMISSION

-rsr,voNy or JAMES II. lost BEL oNN INN
MINISTERIAL COMMISSION
,,u.o, lime 16-The Industrial CommSS'o',
49,, session to-day by the examination y.
80 81 post. OF Brooklyn. represe"'"'','
~ vollenhauer Sugar Refining Co'"p""' D.,
Ta,,onal Sugar Company. OF NeW-1orN' ,e,
ratsr,,nr 10 a list of sugar prices GOVERNS ~" ,
rtre Years. showed that the margin ot'"e'"
nd ,sSned sugar had fuctuated with the 'eNiHiO"
=, ~ ,ar,0 and the entrance OF competing co'"
- into the field The standard price OF reh"eu
rear ne said was fixed daily by the @Aine'
sugar Refining Company and as RUE '',eSo P,,s'S
we're followed by the independent rehher'es' 800
general proposition he thought the Ai,ei 49,
Refining Company mao i'hueH'
good Of the country a., >,
no Won think" asked Mr. Ratchford, thHt II
would he a good thing for the American company
10 he in entire control of the HELD!
no" said Mr. Post u think the ehtlre coii'o
Of an article OF universal consumption IN ,he hdnus
Of any one set Of men would be very dangerous
power. po..,
THAT is what the trust aims at" said Mr. Ratch-
ford according to Mr. Havemeyers own state
ment"
The business might get into the hands Of men
not so broadmnded as Mr.. Havemeyer, replied the
witness
Mr. Post denied that the National or the Mollen-
bauer company was connected in any way with
the American Sugar Refining Company AT the
present price OF raw sugar the margin between raw
and refining was 60 cents a hundred pounds before
the rehner began realize profit.
Mr. Post said that In past years his rehnerles
had used Cuban cane sugar almost altogether. but
that since the great reduction In the Cuban output
they had been forced to rely largely on European
beet sugar principally German and Austrian. The
European refined sugar cheaper to produce
thar the American but not OF so good quality:
OF imported raw sugar the American retners had
received large quantities from the Philippines Re
rAt he Cffap NJ fha SyOa he mr.
OF raw sugar. witness said ne thought the presence
of one great buyer I'm the field had tended TO keep
down the price but he did not think the trust could
keep down the price more than one-siXteenth OF
cent a pound and that for only portion or each
season.
on Inquiry as to the affidavit plan OF selling 10
been abandoned. The result that in many
places grocers were cutting the price Of sugar and
the grocers. but It matter OF little interest TO
the renner. The rehners allowed the grocers
proft of three slxteenths OF a cent pound. which
was little they could afford TO handle II for.
Free sugar from Cuba. the witness said. would
wipe out American raw sugar both beet and cane,
In the afternoon the Commission heard state:
the Commercial Travellers National League. Mr..
Dove said the opinion of commercial men at large
He estimated the travelling statesmen in the United
states at 10000. saying that the Census figures of
5000 were grossly incorrect. The formation OF
large numbers Of these men out Of employment.
raised the prices of the commodities they controlled
from 70 100 per cent In almost every instance
nsRS for control 81 the d lie 9 Closed Tf bS s
ing that before leaving New-York he had been
warned 9y an scguaintanSe lawyer indirectly
doing dangerous thing in speaking before the
Commission as he was liable to be Crushed like
The Commission tomorrow will hear NJ /. Lock.
wood OF Pennsylvania. the last of the trust wit
ton Of agricultural interests.