Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-06-13
Important Ruling Monday
By House Committee.
VIII Investigate Every Phase
OF Operations Despite Protest.
Atkins Tells Of Efforts to Acquire
PsnnsyIvanta Refining Go.

Washington, June 1.-THE House
committee which is investigating Sugar
Trust affairs, ruled today that the
matters regarding which former Off
GERS of the American Sugar Refining
Co, are under indictment are essential
to the inquiry. Such officers include
Secretary Charles b. Heike. The
committee then required Edwin F. At
kins, acting president of the company.
to answer questions regarding the
company's efforts to acquire the Penn
sylvania Sugar Refining Co, at Phila-
delphia.
James M. Beck. counsel for the COM
pany. Intellectually appealed to the
committee not to go into this subject
on the ground that the former officers
of the Sugar Company are awaiting
trial in November on a charge of con-
spiracy to acquire the Pennsylvania
property and that their interests would
be prejudiced If the committee pre-
Judged the case. Chairman Hardwick
and the committee overruled this OBJ
lection. They held the committee was
directed to investigate every phase of
the company's operations and there
was no intention of pre-judging the
case.
Mr.. Atkins testified he had no direct
knowledge regarding the Pennsylvania
transaction. He said IL was negotiated
under the presidency of Henry O. Have
meyer. The officials of the company
point that the company has undergone an
entire change of management and policy
from the Havemeyer administration
Mr.. Atkins said: II asked Mr. Have
meyer If 1t was to be his policy to build
up the beet sugar industry at the ex-
pense of the cane sugar industry. His
answer was evasive and told him that
If that was to be his policy would sell
my stock in the American Sugar Refin-
ing CO. I subsequently did sell consid-
cradle of my stock"
Asked why he was opposed to the com.
pany's extending into the beet sugar
field. Mr. Atkins explained that ii was
simply his opinion as business man in
terested in cane sugar investment, He
foresaw In the western field beet SUI
gar industry which would become a for
midable competitor of the American Co..
and, as an investor, he did not think 1t
wise to assist rival enterprise to a po-
sition where Ii would have important eff
feet upon the business Of the industry
In which he was interested. Mr.. Atkins
said that he did not know at the time
he talked to Mr.. Havemeyer that the
former head of the Sugar Trust had al
ready invested In Western beet sugar
concerns.
Mr. Atkins testified today that the
American Sugar Refining Cos stock
is scattered over the entire globe,
with 1889 stockholders in November,
1910 The average individual holding
of stock Is less than so shares and
more than $500 shareholders own 10
shares or under.
Mr.. Atkins submitted a statement
to show that during 1910 the company
manufactured somewhat more than
AZ per cent. of the total consumption
of sugar in the United States, while
the beet sugar companies nranufac-
tured IA per cent. OF the II cane
sugar refineries in the United States
the Refining Company owns seven di-
rectly or through subsidiary com
panies. and has stock interest less
than majority. In four. OF the IS
factories which produce beet sugar
the American Company Is interested
through stock ownership in SO.
I'm 1900,' the statement said. THE
American refined about SIS per cent.
of the sugar consumed In the Unit
ed States, in 1909 only 43.f4 per cent;
in 1910. 42.14 per cent"
The statement referred to the gov
eminent litigation against the COM
pany, saying:
''In the bill brought by the govern
ment to dissolve the company, no act
OF any officer of the company since Jan.
1, 1903, is even alleged as being in re-
stralnt of trade and many of the aver
ments in the governments bill are in
accurate. The company has only a
minority interest in any of the beet
sugar companies to which reference is
made. All of these beet sugar eompa-
MES have independent boards Of di-
rectoss and are in no respect controlled
by the American Sugar Refining Co"
The statement sets forth that the
stockholders of the American Sugar
Co. include executors, guardians.
churches. banks, mortgage and Invest
ment companies, orphan asylums. hos
pitfalls and others.
Washington. June 12.--So carefully
guarded were the operations of the
American Sugar Refining Co. up to less
| than two years ago. Edwin F. Atkins.
vice president and acting head of the
corporation. told the special sugar trust
investigating committee of the House to-
| day. that stockholders were accorded no
| information as to how the company was
| being conducted.
The condition grew so oneroas, the
witness said, that the New England
| stockholders combined and obtained con-
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