The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1899-07-01
KING HAvEMEYER.


He Tells Much Truth With Brutal Frank
ness Before the lndusrnal Commission
HIS Testimony Surprise to Republi-
can Leaders. He Opposes Protection
Above 10 Per Cent-He Insists That the
Day Of the Individual Business Man
Has Gone.
Henry o. Havemeyer, president of the
American Sugar Refining Company
was examined by the Industrial Com.
mission in connection with its investiga-
tion of trusts.
He made a vigorous attack upon the
tariff, which he declared was the
'mother of all trusts" becoming such
by providing Fan inOrdinate protection
20 manufactured articles"
This attack was made in a written
statement which the witness had pre-
pared before making his appearance be-
fore the committee, and which he read
in ringing voice.
Continuing his statement, he asserted
that a tariff OF 10 per cent was as high
as any tariff should be.
He said sugar refining is discriminteda
against in the tariff in the interest OF
the Louisiana cane growers, the beet
sugar makers, and the sugar growers OF
the Hawaiian Islands. To these in
terests, he declared, the United States
contributes S24,OOO,OOO, which is taken
out of the pockets of the people.
''There probably is not an industry
that requires protection Of more than
10 per cent al valorem.
] 1.-THE tariff bill, as it is, clutches the
people by the throat, and then the Gov
ernors and the eAttOrneys-General Of the
several states take action, not against
the cause, but against the machinery
employed TO rifle the public's pockets.
II maintain that it is immaterial to
the public in what form business is done
whether by an individual, firm, cor
poration or even trust. These are
merely forms Of conducting business.
at is the government, through its
tariff laws, which plumbers the people,
and the trusts are merely the machinery
for doing il"
Mr.. Havemeyer's paper aroused great
interest and three hours were devoted
to questions by members Of the com
mission.
The witness confessed that his COM
pany had little regard for the welfare
Of rivals in business, saying that pres
tige, ability, experience and wealth
would win in the long run, and that
trusts were an example OF the survival
OF the fittest in business.
THAT is trade" he said, land the
sooner you realize it and quit trying to
control il by federal legislation, the bet
ter for all
"a man cannot expect TO have him
self continually wet-nursed by the gov
ernment. II men do not want to buy
our stocks they needn't. They do not
need government protection.
'lf they wade in and get stuck, let
them get out, and II they wish, wade in
again The fate OF rival concerns il
their affair, not ours"
Speaking of tho "ethics OF life. sug-
gested by member OF the committee,
Mr.. Havemeyer said:
II don't care two cents for your
ethics. / know nothing about them.
am talking about business
lie declared that the tariff enabled
the steel rail trust TO mulct the public to
the extent Of ~ per ton, and said Incl
denta ly that Mr.. Carnegie had not yet
stated what he was going to do with his
On the question Of labor, Mr.. Have
meyer said that the laboring element
was,forced to form organizations, but
that in doing so it sacrificed much indie
pendence, and that the Unions had the
effect OF bringing other men down TO a
low level"
He contended that he was a friend OF
abor, and said that good men in the
employ Of the trust were paid 10 per
'ent. more than they could get else
where.
The farmers, he thought, ought 10 es-
ablish trust for their protection.
The recent drop in the price OF sugar
had been caused by the starting OF new
which had threatened 10 take
ifty per cent. OF the business.
Ii was a part OF our policy 10 put
,rioes down and let the opposition take
he result, whatever it may be. Every
ale made by the opposition displaces SO
much OF the American Company's pro-
luct. We must protect our own busi-
less. %
Mr.. Hayemeyer went on to say that |
that the company did it did not do for
n otiyes OF philanthropy-that il had It's
wn shareholders To protect.
A Child Enjoys