The Savannah morning news., 1902-05-02
HAVEMEYER TALKS
TELLS SENATE COMMITTEE ABOUT
SUGAR TRUST.
DOES NOT DOMINATE CUBA.
1uUsT OWNS LITTLE SUGAR IN
THE ISLAND.

TLeva Out of the Valley; His Hands
We're Full of His own Business.
washington, May 1.-The inquiry in
N the present holding of Cuban sugar
and Cuban sugar lands, ordered by
the Senate, was begun to-day by the
subcommittee on Cuban Relations.
President Henry O. Havemeyer of
the American Sugar Refining Compa-
nv was the first witness, and all the
members of the subcommittee, Sena-
tors Platt of Connecticut, Durham
and Teller were in attendance. Sena-
tor Patterson was also present. Others
present with Mr.. Havemeyer were Ar
thur Bonner. treasurer of the COM
pany, and Henry c. Mott, its raw SUI
gar buyer. All of them were sworn.
will you," Senator Platt asked,
sugar if any, has been purchased and
is now held by your company"
"Since early in February last we
have purchased $4,000 tons, or 256,000
bags. or about ten days supply" re-
piled the witness. "Of that quantity,
$4,000 tons is now in process of ship
ment from Cuba"
The prices paid. he said, had ranged
from s175 to $1.93, the highest price
being paid on March Is and the lowest
on April %.
Where do you buy your raw su-
gar?"
"Ail over the world. wherever sugar
is grown"
Does the $4,000 tons you mention rep
resent your entire purchases in Cuba
since the first of january"
NO. We have bought, all told. 3d.,
600 tons of Cuban sugars during the
present year, or about three-fourths of
months supply, our consumption
being about $4,000 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 sugars?"
Il have not"
Have you made any advance on
any Cuban sugar."
None whatever"
so that you wish to be understood
as saying that the amount you have
mentioned as having purchased repre-
sents your entire interest in Cuban
sugar?"
Mr.. Havemeyer said the entire Gu
ban sugar crop is about $50, 900 tons, but
that much of it 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
other Years.
Speaking of the capacity of his COM
pany he said that it refined Is per cent.
Of the American refined product.
He added that the percentage of this
cofnpany's product compared to the
entire sugar consumption of the United
States was about so per cent. Last
year his company produced 100000
tons OF the refined sugar, while the con-
sumption was 24O0, 900 tons.
Prices Fixed in Hamburg.
In reply to other questions he said
that the price of raw sugar in the
United States is fixed by the beet mar
ket prices in Hamburg. The price
tnere fixes the selling price for the en-
tlre world said Mr.. Havemeyer
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
tnem 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 de-
slrous to do so. England could take
the entire Cuban crop"
MT. Platt then asked:
Says There Is No Monopoly.
Suppose the United States should
make concession of say 20 or 25 per
cent. in the tariff rates on Cuban sugar,
Couldn't VIZ V~nf 20 t,Yrry G,,ln
product except at your own rates, and
mus secure the benefit of the conces-
sion?"
In no way" Mr.. Havemeyer said.
Oupa would be under no obligations
70 sell to us. because, as 1 have said,
tue cuban producers could find other
markets"
All the duty has been taken off OF
torto Rican sugar. Do you get that
sugar any cheaper on that account?"
Not at ALL"
Flow about the Hawaiian product?'
we are under contract for the entire
HoUUo0 tons produced in Hawaii. There
- no tariff on that product, but the
price is not affected by that circum-
II has been stated repeatedly that
N case the suggested concession is
MADE the sugar trust will be in a po-
Ieaoctons that you will secure the en-
tIe benefit of the legislation. Is that
we could not 'oblige' any reduction
- ease of a concession to Cuban SUI
saI me price might be lowered say
sixteenth of a cent pound
". mat would be nothing as compared
win the reduction in the tariff rate
%HIeh would amount to about one
o'lIa OF a cent a pound. Even so great
.eduction as 1 have mentioned would
orl qua on the necessity for marketing
~ II there should be any pressure on
NC Nc account the necessity would be
10 OF the producers and would not
IN reply to another series of ques-
c eto,-S MI Havemeyer said that his
pany as such, holds no sugar
bls IN Cuba, but he added that he
h. made some purchases, but that
ma not consider 1t legitimate to
tttupei him to reply to questions per-
iIlig to these interests.
Interests An Cuba.
o,te or six years ago he had &C.
tatt'u half interest in a sugar plan
o7 .Dn at Tanamo Bay. When the
III had prepared to utilize the land
II own improvements had heer oh.