The record-union., 1899-06-17

WASHINGTON, June 16.-The In
dustrial Commission began its session
to-day by the examination of James II.
Post of Brooklyn, a representative OF
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 f1uctuated with
the revision Of the tariff and the en-
trance of competing companies in the
field. The standard price of refined
sugar, he said, was fixed daily by the
American Sugar Refining Company,
and as a rule these prices were fol-
lowed by the independent refineries.
Mr.. Post said that as general prop.
osition he thought American Sugar Re
fining Company had influenced condi--
tons for the good of the country.
DO you Think asked Mr.. Ratchford,
that it would be good thing for the
American Company to be in entire con-
troll of the field?"
NO." said Mr.. Post, Il think the en-
tire control of an article Of universal
consumption in the hands of any one
set OF men would be a very dangerous
power"
That is what the trust aims at,' said
Mr.. Ratchford, according to Mr.. Have
meyers own statement
THE business might get into hands of
men not so broad-minded as Mr.. Have
meyer" related the witness.
Mr.. Post denied that either the Ma
tional or the Mollenhauer companies
were conducted in that way with the
American Refining Company. At the
present price of raw sugar the mar
gin between raw and refined sugar was
63 cents per hundred pounds before the
refiner began to realize a profit.
Mr.. Post said. that in past years his
refneries have used Cuban cane sugar
almost altogether, but since the great
reduction in the Cuban output they
had been forced to rely largely on Eu-
ropean beet sugar, principally German
and Austrian. The European refined
sugar was cheaper to produce than the
American, but not of so good a quail
lty. OF imported raw sugar the Ameri-
can ref1ners had gotten large quantities
, from the Philippines. Regarding the
effect of. the sugar on the price of raw
ence 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 ne-sixteenth of a
cent pound, and that for only por-
ton OF each season. On inquiry as to
the affidavit plan to wholesale grocers,
witness said that it had recently been
abandoned. In many places grocers
were cutting the price of sugar and SELL
ing at a loss.
Mr.. Post said he was sorry for the
grocers, but it was a matter of little
interest to the refiner. The refiners al
lowed the grecers profit of three-six-
teenths of a cent pound, which was
as little as they could afford to handle
1T 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 statement from P. E. Dove of
New York, President of the Commercial
Travellers National League Mr.. Dove
said the opinion of the commercial
men at large was that the trusts were
menace to the community He placed
the travelling statesmen in the United
States at 350,0O The formation of the
trusts and combines was throwing a
large number Of these men out of en-
ployment- He then gave numerous
specific instances Of men who had lost
their positions.