New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-06-14
PREDICTS CHEAPER SUGAR
E. T. Atkins Says 1t Would Re-
suit from Tariff Reduction.
WOULD HIT HOME INDUSTRY
Head OF American Refining Co.
Refuses . Fix Point to Which
Duty Might Be Reduced.

Refuses % Fix Point to Which
Duty Might Be Reduced.
Warrington. June IA reduction ~ me
sugar iii ~ the American people was
predicted to-day hv Edwin p. Atkins. hes'
Of the American Sugar Refining Company.
az a probable result Of the reduction ot
the tariT OF raw sugar in testimony ne
gave 20 the House special sugar commit
tee
Putting raw sugar or the free list, how
ever, he sad. would result in driving many
suGs- beet producers In the United states
out ~ business end seriously cripphns
Louisiana cane producers. RepresentstlFe
Madison. ot Kansas tried 20 get the Wit
ness - tx point 70 which the duty
might safely be reduced. RE declined
AS an economist. az a dealer in sugar.
as great producer in Cuba, you sho'' !.
( be able To give us\s valuable suggestion
said Mr Madison. 6osxingly.
Mr Atkins replied that his company hea
no, discussed the subject formally and that
ne must decline % answer until he was
called before the WAYS. AMI Means COM
mittee
The tariff discussion occurred n corneo-
ton with testimony regarding tie prices
of sugar. about which NJ Atkins tesu-
FED practically all the day. ~ the close
~ the session Chairman Hsrdwick an
rourc.d that the committee was through
with Nr. Atkins FOR the present. ana TO-
morrow would hear Charles +. Heike. io'-
merry secretary ~ the Ameo an sugar
Refining Company.
Mr.. Madison led NJ Atkins 70 say that
IN dolsrs and cents cuba profied p7act-
caUv nothing IS resul, Of the favored
nation treaty with this country IN re-
gard 70 sugar importations. When CUBA
had sugar 70 sell he said. the price went
down so low that the differential over
other countries was wiped out, out Kneii
that country had no suga- 70 sell the al
fsrential was available.
The committee sought 10 find ont Z the
refners sold refined sugar any. cheaper as
result Of the low prices attending me
marketing OF the cuban sugar crop. Mr.
Atkins was not sure. and will file state
n1snt covering the point
Long Discussion o. Prices.
Chairman Hardvick took the witness
through a long review Of the sugar prices
Alr. Atkins said the difference between The
cos. az the raw sugar and the selling
price Of refined sugar left the renners a.
present 3 cents a hundred pounds 70 cover
the cost OF refining and profits This az
ference was only = cents In isi5 ana - IN
- In ls.s. after the merger resulting IN
the organization OF the American Sugar
&
Not 50 many sellers suggested Mr..
ua-dvick. Probably some had gene out
os business
Some" replied Nr. Atkins. laconically.
IN '7ao the difference dropped 70 . cents.
"Tha, drop was due % competition with
the Pennsylvania rehneries. wasn't it?'
asked Nr Hard1iok
"Proba bly," was the response.
In lsa2 the amount claimed hy the REIN
e-s e profit. II was shown. had risen 10
'vo3 NJ. Hardwick asked 4 the Penn
sylvania reHneries wer, TO longer compel
INK
40" replied Mr. Atkins
Tire reduction Of the di~ertn.ial 20 n
cents in lSaa was explained "a probably
due 10 a trade war between the American
Sugar Refining Company and the ArbucklA
refnerles
When IN ieo0 tire differental rose 20 =
cents the witness agreed tina; 1t might have
been hat President Hayemeyer II the
American and ne ArhucHlcs had reached
an agreement.
Nj Atkins said that the American Sugar
Refining Company owned practically ma
iori,v % stock I'm the reineries in Cali
fornia and that il did not attempt 70 COM
pete with them. He gave as the reason
FOR this abandonment OF the Coast business
the freight rate difference Of half cent
wound on sugar transported from the
Eastern rehneries This he insisted vas
the principal reason for the failure o. COM
petition.
The tariff. according 70 Mr. Atkins. en-
ahlad the Pacific Coast refneries 10 make
A larger margin Of profit than the Eastern
reAneries Replying 10 Representative
Psker. Of California. Mr. Atkins said the
nrice Of sugar was the same on the Pacific
and the Atlantic coasts, but the Pacific
manufacturers are able TO sell a far east
"a Chicago. while the Eastern rehneries
cannot ship further west than Kansas City
and omaha.
The reason is that the Pacific Coast has
free raw sugar said Mr. Atkins. The
roareries there get the Hawaiian and
Philippine sugars without duty. willie We
have TO pay 81 81 duty OF each hundred
pounds u cuban sugar"
Then sugar ought to he lower on the
Pacific Coas,?" asked Representative
Raker
Yes" said Mr.. Atkins. who added that
ne knew nothing q the conduct u the
Far Western companies.