The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-06-15
Existing Law Occasion Of Formation
Of Big Trusts.
Sugar Not Ade quately
Protected.
Men without Means Only Those
Who Wont Work.

Washington, June 14.-Mr. Henry o.
Havemeyer, president Of the American
sugar Refining company was examined
by the Industrial commission today in
connection with its investigation of
trusts. His testimony related almost to
the sugar industry aud he opened with
q vigorous attack upon the customs
tariff which he declared was the moth
or of all trusts
| Mr.. Hayemeyer in his statement said;
"The mother of all trusts Is the GUS
toms tariff bill. The existing bill and
preceding ones have been the occasion Of
the formations of all the large ernsts
with very few exceptions. inasmuch as
they provide for sn insubordinate protec-
tion to oil the interests Of the country
| sugar refining excepted. Economic ad-
yantages incident to the consolidation Of
large interests In the same line of busi-
ness are great incentive to their forma-
ton, but these bear very insignificant t
proportion to the advantages granted
in the way Of projection under the Gus
| toms tariff.
| There probably Is not an.industry
that requires protection of more than
10 per cent ad vaIorem, and 10 ia to OBJ
tain what it's provided over such per CEN
tage in the tariff that leads to the forma-
tion Of what are commonly spoken Of as
trusts.
| with protection to an industry not
exceeding 10 per cent lall menace TO the
| community 0 of trusts would cease.
II have said that sugar was an excep-
tion. The rate Of profession on sugar Is
an eighth OF a cant per pound, which Is
about 1-2 per cent advalor sna Aand is
not the difference In the cost OF refining
between this and foreign countries. The
least it should have is per cent or, in
specific figures! IA per cent per pound.
1.-THE United States tariff bilfin as;
sessing about $40 per ton duty. on import
ed sugar. pays into the pockets OF a. few
Louisianians on their annual crop Of 25, .
coo tons, $4,000, 600; to the Hawaiians
| islanders. probably represented by 100 for
eigDers, on their annual crop ofE250. 900
tons. SIC, 900, ,0G0; say 100, 600 tons produced
elsewhere in the United States, $4,000
co.,
"There you have $4,000, 600 extracted
from the people Of the United States for
the sake of getting revenue which $40
on foreign sugar provides. This Is
merely illustrative of the whole tariff
every line of it-and its effect upon the
people. In fact the tariff bill clutches
the people by the throat and then the
governors and the attorneys general OF
the several states take action, not against
the cause, but against the machinery
which the people employ to rifle the
puhlic's pocket.
IL maintain that 1t is immaterial to
the public in what form business 10 done
-whe ther by an individual, firm, corpo-
ration or even trust. There are merely
forms of conducting business.
1T would have been very easy and
proper for the government to have put a
corresponding internal revenue tax on
sugar simultaneously with the imposition
of the custom duty and have these $24,
QUO, 600 which now go into the pockets of
few individuals go into the treasury for
the benefit of the whole people. If no
expenses Of the government needed to be
provided for and the protection to Ameri-
can industries was desired, the imposition
! turei products would have settled the
matter.
1.-The statements made before the COM
mittees in Congress amt the speeches
against the sugar refining company, are
absolutely devoid of truth-utieslv nn-
worthy of credit The intention OF Con-
oress hnweSer, to enact sonetning into
hat the sugar refining
lted, irrespective oi
a.e.. injustice done. In
the passage t. lstng sugar sched-
ula.
"Whether the sugar refining company
has Eeen a benefit or injury TO the com
munity can be best expressed In table
showing the prices for a considerable
period prior to the formation of the trus-
and for corresponding period subse-
uuent. The difference since Its formation
, shows an advantage to the consumer, ,snott
! that, t,Iconsumeri of over 1-s OF q cent.pel
pound.
what the sugar company has dis
bursed in dividends has been not becausi
| of any extreme protection under the tarif
but one of conditions perfectly lie gitimat,
and commendable. All l have to ga.
about trade organizations and strikes u
: that without violence they are natural
] They have one objection, however, thei
, tendency to reduce all labor to Low
, | level.
business is not philanthropy. Capita
and labor win adjust their own relation
IL they are lat alone. Interference alway
, operates against one or the other. Tha
: means to the disadvantage OF both. ("
In these days there are two forms, and
only two forms OF monopoly:
al One-That which results from a paten
{ and copyrights. 1t is univerally recog
: nizsd that this is In the interest OF, moi
against the interest OF the public. IN
other, that which comes from unfai
tariff discrimination. Tariff for revenu
nsed not be considered. The expense o
the government, must Of course, be pro
. vided for. Tariff for the purpose. OF equal
s izinR against foreign bounties or foreigi
7 Discrimination does not need to be justi
5 fed. Beyond that there is no excuse 70
giving to one industry a protection OF 10
per cent as against pei cent for anothe
or any more than 10 per cent.
The result is that the government
: tiecces the community at large In the In
i terest of some favored industry.
Citizens are divided in tWa GLASSES, th