The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-06-17

WASHINGTON, June 16.-The In
dustrial Commission began its session
to-day by the examination of James III.
Post of Brooklyn,~a representative OIL
the Mollenhauer Sugar Company and
the National Sugar Company of New
York.
Mr.. Post, referring to a list of sugar
prices, covering the past nine years,
showed that the margin between raw
and refined sugar had huctuated with
the revision of tie tariff and the en-
trance of competing companies in the
field. The standard price OF rehneo
sugar. he said, was fixed daily by the
American Sugar Refining Company,
and as rule these prices were followed
by the independent ret1nerles. MI
Post said that as a general proposition
he thought the American Sugar Ref1n-
ing Company had influenced conditions
for the good of the country.
do YOU think" asked Mr. Ratch-
ford. that it would be good thing
for the American company to be IN en-
tire control of the field?'
No" said Mr.. Post. Il think the
entire control of an article of universal
consumption in the hands of any one
set of men would be very dangerous
power"
THAT is what the trust aims at"
said Mr.. Ratchford, according to MI
Havemeyer's own statement.
THE business might get into handS
of men not so broadminded as MI
Havemeyer," said the witness
Mr.. Post denied that either the Ma
tional or the Mollenhauer companies
were connected in any way with the
u
present price of raw sugar the mafSia
between raw and refined sugar was o5
cents per hundred pounds before the re-
finer began to realize Il profit. MI
Post said that in past years his rem
cries have used Cuban cane sugar al
most altogether, but since the great fe-
duction in the Cuban output they had
been forced to rely largely on European
beet sugar, principally German ana
Austrian The European refined sugar
was cheaper to produce. than the An.
erican. but not of so good quality 81
imported raw sugar the American re-
finers had got large quantities from
the Philippines.
Regarding the effect of the sugar
trust on the price of raw sugar witness
said he thought the presence of one
great buyer in the field had tended to
keep down the prices, but he did not
think the trust could keep down the
price more than one-slxteentn OF cent
a pound, and that for only portion
of each season.
On inquiry as to the affidavit plan of
selling to wholesale grocers witness
said that it had recently been aban-
doned. In many places grocers were
cutting the price Of sugar and selling 1t
at a loss. Mr. Post said he was sorry
for the grocers, but it was matter OF
little interest to the refiner The re-
finers allowed the grocers proht or
three-sixteenths of a cent pound,
which was as little as they could afford
to handle it for. Free sugar from cuba,
witness said, would wipe out American
raw sugar, both beet and cane, in the
next five years.
During the afternoon the commission
heard a statement from P. E. Dove of
New York, president of the CONNER
cial Travellers National League. Mr..
Dove said the opinion of the CONNER
cial men at large was that the trusts
were a menace to the community he
placed the travelling statesmen in the
United States at $50, 600 The formation
of the trusts and combines was throw