The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-06-23
Control of Beet Sugar In
terestS Will Be Subject
of Investigation.
NOW WORKING HARD
ON LUMBER REPORT
Inquiry Into Iron and Steel Indus
try Covers Period Over
Two Years.
By ]. c. WELLIVER.

Although no direct intimation has
heen conveyed TO the Bureau Of Cor
porations to that effect, it is understood
IN Administration circles that an inves-
tigation of the sugar and sugar refining
industry by the bureau viii be begun
In the near future. The sugar indus
try has been excepted from the probe of
the corporation sleuths under Commits
sioner Herbert Knox Smith. but its re-
cent prominence in the public attention
has caused demand that il be dissected
with a view to determining the facts
about the trusts control of the beet
sugar interests. its growing holdings in
Cuba. and the proportion Of the REIN
ing il carries on.
At present the bureau is working on
ITS investigation of the lumber business
it has about twenty men on this indus
try. Then it is making a supplemental
report on the cotton exchanges, and
their relation to the cotton industry. It
is working on very elaborate study Of
internal water transportation. the rela-
ton of I e railroads to the waterways.
the control of river terminals by the
railroads, comparative volumes of traf-
nc, etc.
This is expected to shed a vast deal
of light on the problem of develop
ing water transportation. It will show.
for instance. that the continued i'm
provement of the Mississippi river has
been accompanied by continuous fall
ing n the amount Of traffic carried by
that stream There are now some evil
dences however of better conditions
st. Louis Interests.
The st. Louis interests are planning
70 put on the stream a line of vessels
Of the modern river type. such as are
operated in Germany; and Kansas City
Is planning like lines of vessel be-
tween that city and St Louis It is
found on inquiry that there is a wide
variation of authority as to the tonnage
OF traffic by different rivers: an effort
has been made TO get a fair statement
OF the facts.
probably the greatest inquiry ever
undertaken by the bureau is that which
is devoted TO the iron and steel indus
try. It has been in progress about two
years, and is still far from completion
Inc tobacco industry has been under
lnFsstlgallon Tor a long tiWe. and one
preliminary report. covering the or
ganfzatiOn and finances OF the Ameri-
can Iobacco Company, has been pub
Hsned. But another report is still in
preparation, which is expected TO be OF
the utmost interest and Importance
President Roosevelt when he vetoed
ne James river dam bin called on the
bureau Tor information, which up to
mat tsInes II had gathered through its
- investigation of water powers and the
operations of the huge water mower
trust There has never been any pub
ucauon or the result of this investiga-
ton save rs the President made much
or the material public in his veto mes
sage ana as magazine articles have set
II FORM. But Il is stated that when the
EUTnnHErEn fa-H b.
VIII be OF the most absorbing interest
ana viii indicate a condition of affairs
Mhlcn VIII be startling in the extreme.
Inc big and powerfully backed financial
interests charged with seeking control
OF the water powers of the country will
Dc shown, II Is declared, TO have made
wonderful progress and TO be in the
way OF making still more n the near
Iqture unless their operations are
Await Investigation.
The iron and steel investigation is
awaited with much interest by members
Of Congress who are anxious 10 know
how It Will deal with the merger Of the
Tennessee Coal and Iron with the
United States Steel Corporation. The
expectation is that sooner or later there
VIII be determined efforts In Congress
10 force prosecution and test of that
tSoIisoilaalon; A vast deal of politics
mas surrounded the discussion of the
aHairs ana some disagreeable charges
nave been made. The bureau officials
have been extremely uncommunicafive
about what has been discovered
The International Harvester -ComDanv
commonly regarded as one Of the good
trusts within the meaning given ~
that term under the Roosevelt Admin.
istraIion, has been for long time on
the dissecung table OF the bureau Of
Corporations, and when the work IS
completed report Of great popular in
terest IS looked for. II VIII give. among
other Things, very carefully committed
oata as 10 the selling prices of acri-
cultural implements at home ana sbrts.5
concerning which there has been al,
most endless contradiction Of CHARGES
and counter charges -