The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-05-02

Washington. May 1.-The inquiry Into inc present holding of Cuban sugar and sugar lands, ordered by the Senate, was begun today by the subcommittee on Cu- ban Relations. President Henry O. Have meyer of the American Sugar Rennfns Company was the first witness. and all of the members of the subcommittee. Messrs. Platt CConn.), Durham and Tel Ter, were in attendance. Senator Platter. son also was present. Others present with Mir. Havemeyer were Arthur Don- ner, treasurer of the company, and Hen ry C. Mott, it's raw sugar buyer. All of them were sworn.
 Replying to questions by Senator Platt, Mir. Havemeyer said his company was generally known as the sugar trust. and that its refineries are located as follows: In New Jersey, one; New York, three; Massachusetts, two; Philadelphia. two, and one in New Orleans.
 '.Wili you.' Senator Platt asked. tell the committee how much Cuban sugar, if any, has been purchased and is now held by your company?
 Since early in February last we have purchased 5O,O00 tons or 256,000 bags. or bout ten days supplies" replied the wit hess.
 Of that quantity, 2s,ooo tons is now in process of shipment from Cuba" va.
 The prices paid had, he said, ranged from 1.75 to 193. the highest prices be- ing paid on March 13 and the lowest on April 9.
 Where do you buy your raw sugarT'
 "All over the world-in Cuba, Java, Hamburg, Trieste. the British West h. .y;- n, ia grown"
 Does the 50,0O0 tons you mention rep resent your entire purchases in Cuba since the first of JanuaryT'
 No: we have bought. all told, oS, 00O tons of Cuban sugars during the present year; or about three-fourths of a month $ supply our consumption being about S5.- GOO tons per week."
 Do you control any sugar In Cuba other than that purchased?'
 None, whatever in any manner"
 Have you taken any options on Cuban sugar7"
 T have not' {
 Have you made any advance on any Cuban sugar?'
 "None whatever"
 -s@."so that you wish 10 be understood as saying that the amount you have men, toned as having represented your entire stock direct and indirect in Cuban
 
 sugars?"
 That is the statement make"
 Continuing, MT. Havemeyer said the entire Cuban sugar crop is about 75o,000 tons, but that much of it has been with held from the market in view of possible tariff corrections to be made by Con- gress. On this account, no increase has been only about one-third of the average of other years. On this account, too the purchases had been made principally at outports, where the storage facilities were poor, rather than at Havana The purchases from the outports had caused most of the shipments to be made from these ports rather than from Havana, where the company has about 45,000 tons stored. The purchases at the outports has caused the sales there to be made on 8. parity with the beet sugar prices.
 Speaking of the capacity of his com- pany, he said that it refined 65 per cent of the American refined product.
 In regard to the purchases of Cuban sugar for the present year. Mir. Have meyer gave figures Of purchases for other years to show the relative volume of the current acquisitions, saying that in 1892, 25400O tons had been purchased in 1893. 246.000 tons: in 1894, 321, 900 tons
 In reply to other questions he said that the price of raw sugar in the United States is fixed by the beet market prices in Hamburg. The price there fixed the selling prices for the entire world, said Mir. Hayemeyer. On the subject of the price of Cuban sugars he said his com pany could not determine their price. We have, he said no control over them whatever They do not belong to us.
 Cuba has to sell her sugar in this market, hasn't she?"
 No. that is not true. She can sell in England for instance. if she is desirous to do so. England could take the entire Cuban crop"
 Mr. PIatt then asked:
 Suppose the United States should make a concession of say 20 or 20 per cent in the tariff rates on Cuban sugar. couldn't you refuse to buy Cuban pro- duct except at your own rates and thus secure the benefit of the concession?'
 "In no way" was the reply. Cuba would be under no obligations to sell to us, because as I have said, the Cuban producers could find other markets"
 All the duty has been taken off of Porto Rico sugar, do you get that sugar cheaper on that account"
 No"
 How about the Hawaiian product?"
 ''We are under contract for the entire 350.0O0 tons produced in Hawaii There is no tariff on that product, but the price Is not affected by that circumstance. Ut has been stated repeatedly that in case the suggested concessions is made the sugar trust could in a position to oblige producers to make such reductions that you will secure the entire benefit of the legislation. Is that true?"
 "We could not 'oblige' any reduction. In case of a concession to Cuban sugar, the price might be lowered. say one-siX- teenth of cent pound. but that would be nothing as compared to the reduction in the tarin rate which would amount to about 1-3 cent per pound. Even so a great reduction as l have mentioned would depend on the necessity for mar keting and if there should be any pres sure on that account the necessity would be that of producers and would not be ours"
 In reply to another series of questions, MT. Havemeyer said that his company, as such, holds no sugar lands in Cuba, but he added that he had himself made some purchases there. but that he did not consider it legitimate to compel him reply to questions pertaining to these interests. if he said. the committee compels me to give the information l can, of course. do So. but do not see what my private interests have to do with this l inquiry" Here Senator Platt concluded his ques- | ms and Senator Teller took the wit | c.s, bringing out at the beginning the | ts-Gt that the capital stock of the trust |