The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-06-14
INDUSTRIAL COMMISSION
SUBCONMIT~TEES tt TAKE EST.
MONY IN WESTERN STATES.
Prof. Mas ON the Glucose Trust and
Its PrOducts-Evfdence Given
by . Sugar Rehner.

WASHINGTON, June 1A-The industrial
commission has extended the duties OF its
subcommittee, consisting Of Senator Kyle
and Commissioners A. L. Harris, OF Ohio.
and Eugene d. Conger, Of Michigan. 20 az
to authorize it to take testimony upon az
ricultural conditions in the Northwest. The
inquiry will be largely as to the control of
prices of agricultural products by combina-
tons Of railroad and elevator companies.
The probability is that the subcommission
will sit during August and hear witnesses
at different places in the section indicated.
Another special subcommittee has been
authorized to consist of Commissions NJ ID.
Ratchford. OF Indiana, ex-senator Lee
Mantle. Of Montana, and Representative
John c. Bell. OF Colorado. Its inquiry will
be devoted to mining conditions In the
States west of the Mississippi river. Mr.
Ratchford was selected to preside and to
direct the inquiry. The probability 10 that
the subcommittee will begin it's work In the
early part of July. The commission has
also selected Harvey NJ. Friend. Of WASH
ington, to make a digest of testimony and
bills In Congress touching fictitious dealings
in agricultural products.
Prof. Ernest Mas, Of New York, formerly
hemic expert of the Glucose Sugar Re-
fning Company, Of Chicago, testified be-
fore the committee to-day that when he re-
the passage OF the Mason m pure food biii the
company stopped his salary though he had
a chemist to attempt to influence legisla-
ton and I did not ind myself prepared to
say, as 1 was requested, that glucose was
as desirable a food as sugar; that nourine
is as good as wheat flour or that the corn
oil substitute for rubber Is as good as Bra
lillian rubber"
&C., .ots,- ls- ,o,+~oo xvffh 4ha nor,-
pany he had assigned all the processes
for corn oil refining TO the company, and
soon after his salary ceased he found that
a patent had been taken out covering the
process. Mr.. Mas expressed the conviction
that the glucose trust was a branch OF the
sugar trust. and said that the price of glu-
cose had doubled as soon as tne trust had
been formed, as had also some OF the by
products, such as corn oil. He estimated
that the increase in the price Of corn oil
had amounted in the aggregate to $4,000 per
day. He estimated the plant OF the glucose
trust to be worth S6.O0o.VO0. whereas II Is
capitalized at $40.VOO.00o. He said the sub
Giles for which they were used and he be-
lieved the time would come when sugar
from the West Indies and sold as cheaply
as glucose Is now. Corn oil. he said, was
frequently blended with or substi-
olive linseed. poppy and cotton seed oils,
.cheapening all of them. yulcanized, IL was
used for rubber. The sales OF this article
AdCI ltdL ~ Wv 'aA@
Mas has contended that he was entitled 70
$1,000 of this amount under his contract.
which called for i per cent or such sales.
As a remedy against trusts he suggested
governmental inspection and an internal
revenue tax on the product.
Claus Doscher. of Brooklyn. the proprie-
tor of an independent sugar refining es-
Establishment with a capacity of 1900 barrels
a day. testified that he had begun business
last November, and hat previous 10 that
time there was a margin of from 20 TO 81
cents per 100 between the pr1ces of raw ana
refined sugar. Since he had begun opera.
tions the margin had been reduced so that
IL ranged from - TO 81 cents A margin OF
between 80 and 60 cents was necessary IN
order to render the business profitable. and
as a consequence OF the reductions. the
business had not been profitable. The In
crease to cents had been very recent.
Mr. Dose said the price of sugar was
fixed by uerican Sugar Refining Com
pany. ar aad been told that the recuc-
ton was e to drive him out Of business
He had I'D, he said. that the managers OF
the trus: had expressed the opinion that if
they could accomplish this no one. else
would soon start up. Mr.. Doecher said also
that he received no rebates from the rail-
road companies, but that they did give him
free storage facilities
Tn witness was quite wary about CIV
Ing the cost OF the construction OF his plant
In a general way ne expressed the opinion
that a good refinery could be erected at
a cost of about g for each pound OF daily
production. This would make a cost OF
about 81. 100000 for a plant such as his. Mr..
poscher said he had been engaged In sugar
refining before the trust was formed. and
that his house had gone into the trust
Since he had begun business on his own ac-
count he had received dividends on his trust
stock at the rate of IL per cent per an
mum