Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1902-05-02
HAVEMEYER ON THE STAND
Disclaims Purpose Of Acquiring Control of
the Cuban Sugar Market
EXPECTS NO AID FROM CONCESSIONS
snys His Company Could Not Force
Cubans TO Sell, a. England Offers
Equal Inducements for
Their Product.
ron, May The inquir

and sugar lands ordered by the
senate was begun today by the subcom-
mittee on Cuban relations President
Henry o. Havemeyer OF the American
Sugar Refining company, was the first wit
ness and all OF the members Of the sub
committee, Messrs. Platt Of Connecticut.
Burnham and Teller, were in attendance.
Senator Patterson also was present. others
present with Mr.. Havemeyer we're Arthur
Donner, treasurer of the company and
Henry c. Mott, its raw sugar buyer. All
Of them we're sworn.
Replying to question by Senator Platt,
Mr.. Havemeyer said his company was gen.
orally known as the sugar trust, and that
its rehneries are located as follows: In
New Jersey, l; in New York. g. Msssachu-
setts, 2; Philadelphia, 2; New Orleans, l.
"Will you" Senator Plat asked, tell
how much Cuban sugar, II any, has been
purchased and is now held by your COM
pany?"
"Snce early in February last we have
purchased $4,000 tons, or 1850 bags. or
about ten days quantity supply. replied the
witness.
"of that quantity $4,000 tons is now In
process OF shipment from Cpba."
Range of Prices.
The prices paid had, he said. ranged
from LIS to 1893, the highest price being
paid on March 13 and the lowest on
April %.
Where do you buy your raw sugar7"
"All over the world in Cuba. Java, Ham
burg Trieste, the British West Indies
South America-whereISs sugar is grown
Does the $4,000 to0a mentioned represent
your entire purchases in Cuba since the
first OF january"
mo, we have bought, all told, SO 900
tons of Cuban sugars during the present
year, or about three fourths of a months
supply. our consumption being about 35, 900
tons per week" ...........
do you control any sugar in Cuba other
than that purchaser"
None whatever, In any manner"
Have you taken any options on Cuban
sugars?" ........
~ have not"
No Advance on Cuban Sugar.
Have you made any advance on Cuban
sugar?'
None whatever
so that you wish to be understood as
saying that the amount you have men,
toned as having purchased represents
your entire interest, direct and indirect,
In Cuban sugar7"
That is the statement / make"
Continuing, Mr.. Havemeyer said the en-
tire Cuban suser crop is About $50 900 IONS,
but that much of IL has been withheld
from the market in view of possible tariff
concessions to be made by congress. On
this account his purchases had been only
about one-third of the average OF last
years. On this account too, the purchase
had been made principally at ports where
the storage facilities were poor rather than
at Havana. The purchases from the out
ports had caused most Of the shipments to
be made from those ports rather than
from Havana, where the company has
about $4,000 tons now stored. The pur-
chases at the out ports had caused the
sales there to be made on a parity with
the beet sugar prices.
Speaking OF the capacity OF his company
he said that 1t refined So per cent OF the
American refined product
Produces Half the Consumption.
He added that the percentage OF his COM
pany's product compared to the entire
sugar consumption OF the United States
was about 80 per cent. Last year his COM
pany produced 1900, 900 tons OF the re-
fined sugar, while the consumption was
2,40o, 900 tons.
Returning to the purchases OF Cuban
sugar for the present year Mr.. Havemeyer
gave figures for purchases for other years
to show the relative volume Of the current
acquisitions, saying that In 1892 1884, 900
tons had been bought; In 1893, 246, 900 tons
in 1894, 321 900 tons.
In reply to other questions, he said that
the price Of raw sugar in the United States
is h1ed by the beet market prices in Ham
burg The price there fixes the selling
price for the entire world, said Mr.. Have
meyer.
On the subject Of the price OF Cuban
sugars he said that his company could not
determine their price. We have" he said,
mo control over them whatever; they don't
belong to u.s."
Cuba has to sell its sugar in this mar
ket hasn't it7"
Could Sell 20 England.
mo. that is not true. II can sell in Eng
land. for instance. II It is desirous to do
So England could take the entire Cuban
crop"
Mr.. P1att then asked: Suppose the
United States should make q concession Of
say 20 or rs per cent In the tariff rates on
Cuban sugar, could not you refuse to buy the
Cuban product except at your own rates and
thus secure the benefit OF the concession 20
in no way" was the reply. Cuba would
be uuder no obligations to sell 10 US, be-
cause. a. have said. the Cuban producers
could FMS other markets"
IAN the duty has been taken on Porto
Riean sugar; do you get that sugar any
cheaper on that acoountr'
mot at all"
How about the Hawaiian productf'
I'VE are under contract for the entire
$780, 900 tons produced in Hawaii. There is
no tarin on that product. but the price is
not affected by that circumstance"
Denies stock story.
1T has been stated repeatedly that In
case the suggested concession is made the
sugar trust will be In a position to oblige
producers TO make such reductions that you
will secure the entire beneht OF the legisla-
tion--is that true?"
We could not obiige' any reduction. In
case Of a concession to Cuban sugar the
price might be lowered. say one-sixteenth
OF . cent a pound. BIZ that would be moth
ing as compared 10 the reduction In the
! tarin rate which would amount TO abou;
one-third Of a cent a pound. Even so great
reduction as / have mentioned would de-
pend on q necessity for marketing and N