The evening world., 1911-06-13
SUGAR TRUST FACTS.
ARE HIDDEN FROM
THE STOCKHOLDERS
Nice-P President Atkins Also Kept
in Dark, Is Unable to En-
tighten Congressman.
COMPETITION IS CUT.
No Price Rivalry With Pacific
Companies Because of Freight
Rate Differences.
COMPETITION is CUT.

WASHINGTON. June B-Enort to
discover whether on-competitlve zones
had been established by the American
Sugar Refining Company in an effort
to control prices marked the resumption
OF the Sugar Trust" inquiry to-day.
Edwin r. Atkins, acting head OF the
sugar corporation. VINO became an Of
fcial OF the company two years ago,
said he was unable TO answer from
personal knowledge many OF the Quee-
tions put to MIN.
MT. Atkins declared. however, that the
American Sugar Refining Company
owned practically n majority OF stock
IN the sugar refneries in California and
tnat 1t DID not attempt TO compete with
them. He ave as the reason for this
abandonment OF the coast business the
freight rate difference OF a half cent "A
pound on sugar transported from the
Eastern refneries. This. he insisted.
was the principal reason for the failure
o; competition.
Questioned by Representative Malby
of New York. the witness said that
nifty Per cen OF the Western Sugar
refining Company In California was
owned BY the American Sugar refining
company. while the Spreckels family
owned the other ifty per cent.
The American also owned. Mr.. At
kins said. ~ per cent. In the Alameda
Sugar Refining Company. What the
purpose OF the purchase OF this stock
was. Mr.. Atkins vas unable to tell the
committee.
DO you have any understanding that
there shall be no competition p" asked
Mr.. Malhy
80 far as my knowledge goes there
&, not the slightest"
Mr.. Malby sought light on the method
az ~electing directors in the California
companies. but Mr.. Atkins was able 10
I1Ne him no satisfaction.
Us II a matter of Indifference to tho
american sugar Refining Company as 70
o the other companies conduct their
tusIness?" he quericd.
Mr.. Atkins replied tina. he was not in
formed on the subject.
the suslr tariff. according TO Mr.. A.
kins, enabled the Paclhc Coast sugar
fcfineries to make a larger margin OF
PROFIT than the Eastern rcfnerles.
INFORMATION ON SUGAR Is RE.
FUSED STOCKHOLDERS.
Replying 20 Representative I:aker os
california, NJ. Atkins said tho price Of
sIsar was the sam, on lrc pacific a1I
tie Atlantic Goa Is. bat tho paclhc
ranufGctuEe"s are abe to sell as far
est as Chicago, while the Eastern re-
Worries cannot snip further ives, than
Kansas city AMI Omaha.
Tit reason IS that the Pacific Coas,
Nds f.ee raw sugar" sad Mr. Atkins.
TIE refiner,es there get the Hawaiian
aud Philippine sugars without duty,
while We have to pay $l.3i duty on each
hundred pounds of Cuban sugar"
Then sugar ought to be lower on the
IA lfic Coast?' asked Representative
Rsker.
yes" said Mr.. Atkins. who added
that he knew nothing OF the conduct OF
the far Western companies. He did not
know Mr.. SprecNels. he said, nor what
interest the latter had IN various beet
.Igar companies Of the West.
Il have not been able IN get any tn
formation from any % the companies In
which We are largely Interested said
Mr.. Atkins. W are minority stock
holders and they refuse to tell US any
thing about their business"
That the total sugar bill Of the
American people 10 s36a, 900 900 yearly
and that II the duty on raw e were
removed II could be reduced BY nearly
100000 was h declaration made
By m. Atktns. The latter qualified his
statement ~ to the removal OF the
duty On raw sugar reducing the COST to
the consumer by declaring that such
action woul cripple the American beet
sugar interests n probably destroy
Louisian cane sugar producers. He I'D
vocatsd . partial reduction In the duty,
which. he said, would not only protect
American producers but cheaper the
cost Of sugar TO the American con-
gunner.