The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-06-18
THE SUGAR TRUST INQUIRY.

|
trust saws that only about one-hfth
of the beet sugar factories in this coun
try are in the grasp on the big Have
meyer Sugar Trust. We have no dispo
sition whatever 10 dispute Mr. Ok
nard s word in this. but his statement
is of different order from that usually
considered correct. II is n clear case,
however, that whatever The percentage
may he of the sugar factories in the
country that are owned by the Have
meyer trust, the beet sugar trust here
is directly and positively in the grasp
for some ten wears or more. The fact
of the absorption Of the control of the
local beet sugar factories WAS well
known here at the time it was made.
| The evidence of il has been ample from
| time In time. and was in conspicuous
evidence when the local sugar trust
made a positive promise TO the people
at Gunnison that ii would build sugar
| factory al that place. The big trust
in the East refused It's consent, how
ever, and so the promise of the local
trust to the people of Gunnison had TO
be repudiated This was openly stated
at the time, and the repudistion was ac
knowledged TO be the reputation of an
absolute pledge; and his reputation
was openly stated TO be because the
Eastern control would not consent to
the construction of the factory that
had been promised to Gunnison,
Special interest in the connection of
the local sugar trust with the big sugar
trust is taken at this time by the eff
fort of the investigating committee TO
get the testimony OF President Joseph
f. Smith of the Mormon church. he be
ing also president of the local sugar
trust The House investigating commit.
mittee is treating this sugar trust as
acy against legitimate trade and com
merce The testimony of President 10
seph f. Smith is desired by the com.
mittee in its inquiry into the conditions
of the sugar business in this country,
and of the relations Of the local sugar
trust here TO the big trust in the East.
President Joseph F. Smith makes a pas
sionate plea in behalf Of the local
sugar trust, claiming that it is Zone
of the greatest blessings TO the people
Of these States" and also that ''the
men in management thereof are capa-
BILE, honest men, any one Of whom can
give you all the information that ]
can, and more. in regard 20 the details
of the business. But the committee
insists upon having the testimony of
President Smith, and naturally so, he
being the head of this local trust, and
therefore the link that connects the
local trust with the big trust. II is
manifest that the managers of this 10
cal sugar trust could not state the re
lations of the President Of the local
trust TO the big trust as fully and su
thoritatively as the President Of the
local trust could do himself II is for
tee insists on getting his testimony
and getting first hand information, not
information dribbled through bearsay
channels.
But the testimony which President
Smith bears TO the blessings that the
sugar trust has conferred upon the peo-
pie of Utah and Idaho, and his high
testimony TO the honorable character
of the gentlemen managing this trust,
must be considered. after all. mere mat
49, e a.
case. What the committee is after is
the facts in the case. President Smith IS
Judgment on this matter may be in
dorsed by the committee or NAV NOT,
but first Of all the committee wants
the facts upon which Judgment can
be based.
President Smith s reluctance TO ap.
pear is doubtless based, to a consider
able extent, on the incongruity of the
head of great religious sect being
mixed up with an unlawful trust or
combination, which is subject to be dis
solved by the court as the Standard Oil
Company and the Tobacco Trust have
been ordered dissolved And since the
Attorney General of the United States
is threatening criminal prosecutions
against the officers and managements
Of the Standard Oil Company and of
the Tobacco Trust, there is a possi.
bility that he might also be desirous of
beginning like prosecutions against Of
fcers and managers of the big sugar
trust at least, whether he would do the
SAME 10 the local trust affiliations such
as we have here, and their officers. or
not.
But primarily, what the committee
wants is frst-hand information, and
in no way can they get that first. hand
information with respect to the local
sugar trust and its combine with the
big Hnvemeyer trust as authoritatively
as in summoning the president Of this
local trust TO give his evidence as to
the local trust operations, and as to its
connection with the big trust. And so
uo concidnr That }ba Sc ou,to