The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1907-02-07
DUPONT NOT SOLD TO foREIen NATIONS
coNeREssMEN SCRAP FIERcELY
OVER THE PRIVILEGE OF
SENDING OUT SEEDS.

heard from before a committee of con-
gress. The subcommittee on fortifi-
cations of the house committee on APP
preparations has made public the re-
port of private hearing given recently
to ]. A. Haskell of New York, vice
president of the Du Pont company. Mr.
Haskell was president of the Latin and
Rand company when Robert Waddell
was the Chicago selling agent, and
controlled the western territory.
When the Latin & Rand company
was purchased by the Du Pont COM
pany, Mr.. Waddell left the concern and
started an independent factory. Since
documents in an endeavOr to show
! that the immense profits made by the
Du POnt company from the govern
ment contracts enabled it to sell black
powder below the independent manu-
facturers to their great injury. AS it
was the first time any one connected
with the Du Pont company had ap-
peared before a conmittee of congress,
Nj. Haskelrs testimony had attracted
much attention.
Sold to Foreign Nations.
One of Mr.. Waddell's charges has
been that the powder trust was found
ed on patents taken out by Messrs.
Bernadou and Converse, when they
were naval officers, and that the trust
had offered to sell powder made under
these patents to foreign governments.
Mr.. Haskell testified that the patents
had been offered the Du Pont company
and were rejected because they were of
no value.
Later they were sold to the Interna-
tional SmOkeless Powder company, and
when that concern was absorbed by
the Du Points the patents were also
acquired. If they ever had been OF
value. he said, they were of none now
for the government was not taking any
powder made according to the specifi-
cations of the patents in question. AS
to selling to foreign governments, he
said the offer referred to by Mr.. Wad-
dell had been made by the deceased
president of the International Smoke
less Powder company before the Du
Points acquired control of it, and they
could not be held responsible for the
offer. He further stated the Du Pont
company neither sold nor tried to sci!
powder to foreign governments.
MIR. Haskell referred to a new secret
process of manufacturing smokeless
powder, now being tried. The govern
ment officials were anxious the process
should not be sold to foreign govern
ments. so the Du Pont company pur-
chased the foreign rights for 100000.
although they could realize nothing
from them as they do not sell abroad.
An interesting resume was given by the
witness of the relations of the powder
companies, and particularly the Du
Pont company, with the government
since the war of 1912, and especially
during the civil war and the Spanish
American war.
Lower Prices.
Lower prices were charged by the
powder manufacturers during war
times than when peace prevailed. Mr..
Haskell thought the powder manufac-
turers were the only government con-
tractors who did not raise their prices
during the Spanish war, and instanced
saddles which cost $13 before the war
and for which $50 was charged during
| the war.
! AS far as profit was concerned Mr..
Haskell said the government contracts
were so small the works devoted to this
| kind of powder could be operated only
one third of the time and he thought a
fair profit should be allowed. The COM
pany had to maintain these large
works SO that in time of war the out
put could be quickly and largely in
creased. On IS per cent OF
their business the profits were larger
than on government contracts.
! When the government directed the
army to construct powder plant the
Du Pont company furnished the ord
nance department with plans and spec
ifications and assisted it in every way
He also gave some interesting testi-
mony On the processes of manufacture
ing this powder. stating that as it took
six months to dry, the manufacturers
had from 100000 to $2,50O,000 worth
in their storage house constantly, on
which they could get no insurance. The
amount rejected is also large, being
| about 100000 pounds this year.
! Mr.. Haskell has spent many years
in the powder business and is thor
oughly familiar with all its branches
His clear exposition of the situation
was therefore received with interest.
Free Seeds Voted Down Of Course.
| AS might have been expected the
house of representatives again voted
down it's committee on agriculture on
the free seed question. The committee
adopted the suggestion Of the depart
ment of agriculture. intended to pro-