Omaha daily bee., 1911-06-14
KEEPING OUT BEET SUGAR
Atkins Tells Of Protesting Against
Aiding Industry.
ORDERED TO ANSWER QUESTIONS
ActinE President of Trust Required
60 Reply 70 Queries In Regard 90
Efforts 60 Acquire PENN
sylvanIa Company.

committee OF lnNeSueauon into the sugar
trusts affairs today required Acting Pres
ident Edwin r. Atkins OF the American
Sugar Refining company to answer uues-
lions regarding its attempts 10 acquire the
Pennsylvania Sugar Refining company at
Philadelphia. Counsel James II. Beck, for
the company. Intellectually appealed to the
committee not to go into this matter on
the ground that former officers OF the
company are awaiting trial in November
on charge Of conspiracy to acquire the
Pennsylvania property and that their in
tsrests would be prejudlced n the commit
tee prejudged the case.
Chairman Hardwick and the COMMITTEES
overruled this objection. saying the com
mittee was directed to investigate every
phase Of the company's operation adding
that there was no intention OF prejudging
the case
Mr.. Atkins testified he had no direct
knowledge regarding the Pennsylvania
transaction. which. he said. was negoti-
ated under the presidency Of Henry O.
Havemyer.
Objects 60 Aiding Rect Interests.
He said he protested years ago to Mr..
Havemyer against the policy OF the com
pany acquiring beet sugar plants. The
company officials point out that the COM
pany has undergone thorough change
q management and policy since the Have
myer regime
Discussing the relations between the com
pany and the beet sugar interests, Mr.
Atkins said: s-- I.,-
Il asked Mr.. Havemyer IL II was TO be
ms policy to build up the beet sugar In
dustry at the expense OF the cane sugar
Ind,
and told him that II that was to he his
policy would sell my stock in the Amer
lean Sugar Refining company. r subse-
quen'y ala sell considerable of my stock"
ASKED why he was opposed to the com
pany extending into the beet sugar field,
Mr. Atkins declared that he foresaw IN
the western Held beet sugar industry
growing which would become fornidabls
ooHp eutor OF the American company, and
as an investor he did not think 1t a good
proposition to aid rival enterprise TO a
position where II would have imnortap,
effect upon business of the ipdu.,r,, A.
which he financially was interested Mr.
Atkins said that he did not know a. Oh.
time he talked to Mr.. Havemver that ths
former head Of the sugar trust had al
ready invested in western beet suyor o.
Germs.
stock widely Scattered.
Mr.. Atkins testified that the Ayo.-.o..
Sugar Refining company's stock a. 900
tered All over the globe, with IA. $50 stoct.
holders In November. 1910. The average in
oiWdual holding of stock was said to ba
less than fifty shares, and more than sbOo
shareholders own ten shares or under.
mar. Atkins submitted q statement "a
snow that during 1910 the company manu-
iactured slightly more than ~ per cent of
tne total consumption of sugar In tha
United states, while the beet sugar cam
panies manufactured. Il per cent. on ~.
twenty-one cane sugar refineries In th.
United States the refining company own.
seven directly or through subsidiary com
panies, and has stock interest. lesa thar
majority, In four. OF the sixty-e,Sht
factories which produce beet sugar the
american company Is interested through
stock ownership in thirty-three.
While In 1900" the statement said. "ths
american company refined about s7.s Der Z
cent OF the sugar consumed in the United
States. in 1909 It refined only 4s.14 mar can,
and In 1910. 42H per cent"
The statement referred 20 IN. 500.
ment litigation against the company.
Statements Denied.
DAONAnt py tno government
to dissolve the company" II read. INC ct
OF any officer Of the company since ian
uary l. 1909, is even alleged as being in re-
straint OF trade. Many Of the avermenta
IN the governments bill ere either inac-
curate or have reference to Transacted
ended prior to January 1, 1905. or adtudred
as lawful in the proceedings brourht An
issz by the government against this com
pany. In which the United States suprec,e
court sustained the legality of the com
pany as then constituted.
Since this decision OF the suprsrn. eo,,r4
the company, in expanding the product,on
OF sugar and promoting commerce. they.,n
has acquired stocks in various beet surar
companies.
The company has a reasonable aors,
oence that the validity OF these holdings
viii be sustained as in expansion. rathsr
than IN restriction OF trade. rhas. hold-
inss nave however, steadily bees, red,,c.a
IN the last three years by sales from I'm.
TO time and with two unimportant exoar,. =
uons the company has only minority IN
.ereSt IN any OF the beet sugar compsn,as
10 which reference is made. All OF th.u.
companies have independent boards ~ ~
IecIors ana are in no respect controIIea
~ tne american Sugar Refining comnanv.o-