Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1911-06-27
DE TAILS Of GREAT
SUGAR WAR Barred
IN COMMITTEE
WHEN SPRECKELS AND
HAVEMEYER FOUGHT
Son of Pacific Coast Magnate
Proves interesting Prophet
Smith of Mormon Church to
Give Testimony Today,
10y Morning journal special i.ea.ea ws.l

10y uofhink Joufuhi bpectai teaseU Nnel
Washington, june 26.-Details OF
great sugar war in the early ninetles
between Claus Spreckels in the west,
and Henry 0. Havemeyer in the east.
resulting in an alliance between th,n.
were related today to the sugar trsst
investigating committee of the house
by John ID. Spreckeis. son of the Pa
eific coast sugar magnate. and p,esi-
dent Of the Western Sugar Refining
company of San Francisco.
When Claus Spreekels met Tfenrr
o. Havemeycr in that old sugar wac"
asked Representative Madison. iii
was contest of Greek against Greek,
was II not ?"
1T certainly was q fight
Mr.. Spreckcls then described ~.
during the sugar war, his father in
vaded the eastern territory and erect
ed a great cane sugar refinery In Phil
adelphia. That brought about the
elimination OF the fight.
who was the first of those two
masters to throw up his hands ?" MIR.
Madison asked.
Il think 1t was Havemeyer." sr,l
Mr.. .Spreckels. when we entered The
east in the fight. of course both my
father and Mr.. Havemeyer realized
they were losing money. They came
TO their senses. and in short, came to-
gether and concluded that such q
fight was of no use. 1t resulted in a
consolidation of the plants in the east
and the formation of the Western
Sugar Refining company in California
which took over the American sugar
Refining company plant and ou" plant
there.
The American plant in the west was
closed down. Each side took a half
interest in the new company. In the
east the entire Philadelphia Spreck-
els plant was eventually sold - the
American Sugar Refining company.
That was. | think. in 1892.
After that there never was ny
competition between Spreckels and
Haycmeyer, was there" Mr.. Madison
inquired.
No. but there has since been plenty
of other competition.
Mr.. Spreckels also described how
Mr.. Havcmeyer hecamc associated
with them in 1897 in the Spreckels
beet sugar company in the erection OF
the largest beet sugar plant in the
world
Ho further related the history of
an agreement in 1908 between the
Western Sugar Refining company
with rival concern, the California
Hawaiian Sugar company, whereby
the plant OF the latter was leased by
tho former and shut down for three
years Eventually II was turned back
to the original owners and is again a
This transaction, Mr..
Spreckels said. he was advised by
counsel, was not violation OF the
Sherman antitrust law.
Tho witness declared that in Iris
opinion free trade in sugar would ruin
the beet sugar business and he prophe-
sled, that with the tariff on sugar let
alone, California alone could furnish
enough sugar from beets to supply the
entire United States and to warrant
the tariff protection of the industry.
In answer 10 questions by Repre-
sentative Kinds. Mr.. Spreckels said
the American Sugar Refining com,
pany did not have monopoly of the
sugar business of the country,
III their motive in coming to Cali
fornia was to monopoliae the sugar
business, they did not succeed" Mr..
Sprecllels declared.
Expecting the appearance of Joseph /
Smith, president of the Mormon
church and head of the Utah-Idaho
Sugar company, a large number of
women were present at today's hear
ing. Mr.. Smith, however, was not
called as a witness and II was stated
that he probably would not COM
mence his testimony until tomorrow.
President Smith arrived today and
went directly to Senator Smoot's
house to be his guest.
Asked whether he had any particu-
lar reason for not wishing TO come !
TO Washington, Mr. Smith replied that
his only desire had been to avoid a |
long and tiresome journey while suf- |
'ering from severe rheumatism, when |
he felt that he could add little or
nothing toward the enlightenment of |
The committee.
Mr.. Smith and Bishop Nibley. ac-
by Senator Smoot reach |
I'd the committee room during tho I
afternoon session. From the rear OF |
the room they listened atteniively |
for time to Mr.. Spreckels' explana |
ion. Then the committee excused the /
Mormon leader. subject TO call and he |
retired With him went most Of the |
audience.