The Washington times. (Washington [D.C.]) 1901-1902, 1902-05-03
Confirms Statements Made
by Mr.. Havemeyer Be-
fore the Committee.
NO INTEREST IN LEGISLATION
Denies Responsibility for Publication of
Pamphlet Entitled Facts About Su-
gar"-Henry C. Mott Gives Statistics
of Purchases in Former Years.

The inquiry into the alleged ownership
Of Cuban sugar and sugar lands by the
American Sugar Refining Company was
! continued yesterday by the subcommittee
of the Senate Committee on Relations
with Cuba
Arthur Bonner. treasurer of the trust,
was examined by Chairman PIatt The
witness had heard the testimony Of Presi-
dent Havemeyer with regard to the pur-
chase of sugar in Cuba, nd stated that
it was correct. No Cuban sugars had
been or could be bought and paid for by
the trust without his knowledge. II any
advances had been made by the trust for
the purchase OF Cuban sugar he. as treas
urer. would know Of 1t. No such advance
had been made other than for the sugar
bought and paid for, as stated by Mr..
Havemeyer.
Purchased From a Few Firms.
Asked regarding the manner Of paying
for sugar purchased In Cuba. Mr.. Bonner
said the COMPANY usually purchased from
two or three firms having Offices in both
Havana and New York He had not suf-
ficient information regarding the exact
amounts and dates Of payment on pur-
chases of sugar. but at the request of
the committee he promised to furnish
these in detail. He was also asked to
furnish statements regarding the amount
OF Cuban sugar imported by the trust
since January I. the ports from which
1t came. the dates OF payment, etc.
The trust. he said, had purchased no
lands in Cuba and had made no advance
G fn haa 80.
or officers. he had no knowledge what
ever The trust. he said. had no connec-
ton with the Van Horne syndicate which
had such large interests In Cuba. and his
only knowledge Of Its operations was
from the newsDsp ers.
No Interest in Legislation.
Senator Teller asked the witness If he
had taken any interest in the securing
of legislation to reduce the duty on Gu
ban sugar, and when Bonner answered In
the negative. handed him a pamphlet en-
titled, Facts About Sugar." witness said
he had never seen it in manuscript or
other form. and did not know the printer
He had no knowledge of 1t whatever.
Replying to Senator Plat, Mr. Bonner
said that as far as he knew, the trust
had taken no part in the efforts to secure
had. he knew nothing of it.
Mr.. Bonner was then excused and
Henry c. Mott, for five years in charge
OF the buying and distribution of raw sI-
gar for the trust. was put on the stand.
He bought all raw sugars used by the
trust refineries except at New Orleans
He gave the committee a table showing
that since January I he had bought for
the trust .l25 tons of Cuban sugar al
most entirely from two frpe
Purchases in Former Years.
The purchases in the same period for
former years, he stated, were as follows:
1890. 1905; 1851, 19O122; 1892. 25s.s7l:
1898. 2is.414: 1894. s21.si7; 1895. 1850:
1896, 4O.367: 1897. 1904; 1898. 114.OO9;
1899. 1l6.92S: 1900. 1896 1901. 1924.
Some of the $4,000 tons. he said. might
Rave been of last years crop, as on Janu-
ny L. about 10, 900 tons had been left over
This was smaller amount than usual. Ono
year, when the crop amounted to nearly
!, 100000. 100000 tons had remained IN
sold on January /.
MIR. Mott gave an account OF the methods
used in purchasing sugar. describing how
the orders were given to commission firms
10 buy such an amount at a stated price,
and the transaction was completed by pay
lnent on bill of lading, IL the firm wgs sue
cessful. The firms OF Zado & Co. and
Francke Sons & Co., from whom the trust
purchased most of the Cuban sugar had no
with the company
Proportion of Trust Purchases.
Mr.. Teller asked what proportion of the
Cuban sugar crop was bought by the trust
Mr.. Mott thought about so per cent. He
could not tell exactly. The remaining 80
per cent was taken by the independent
Replying to Senator Platt. wit
less said the company had no contracts for
he future delivery OF Cuban sugar other
han those already specified. and it had
10 options whatever on any other Cuban
sugar.
Asked how he accounted for the fluctu-
atoms in the price at which Cuban sugar
had been bought between January / and
April 30. rs stated in the table of pur-
chases. Mr.. Mott said IL was governed
almost entirely by the price of beet su-
gar at Hamburg. Local pressure to sell
ut the outports Of Cuba also had slight
influence. The variation between the
price of Cuban and Hamburg beet sugars
was rarely more than one-sixteenth Of Il
cent 4 pound. and they usually moved up
Or down together. The fluctuations at
were due to supply and demand
Or occasionally to speculation.
suppose. asked Senator Platt there
should be a reduction in the duty on Gu
ban sugar: would your company get the
benefit of the reduction
Witness-No. We get no benefit from
the reduction on Porto Rican sugar.
Question-Then you think the benefit
would accrue to the Cuban planter?
Answer-Yes; to the planter who was
still holding his sugar. In my judgment
it would accrue to the owner in Cuba.