The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1912-02-18
A SU6AR lKOyI
IS EXISTING \
UNITED STATES
so SAYS SPECIAL COMMITTEE
AFTER A THOROUGH IN
VESTIGATION.
investigators Find Twenty-one Viola. j..
tons of Sherman Law and Declares
government Has Ample MACHINERY
for Remedy.

Washington, Feb. 1.-THE Hard
WICK sugar trust" Investigation COM
mltt7e, after many weeks Of omen
hearings here and in New York and
almost continuous work since last
May, reported to the house TODAY that
a sugar trust exists. The report.
which is signed by all the members
OF the committee, republicans as well
as democrats, makes no recommends
ton whatever as to how the alleged
trust and those responsible for it shall
De dealt with, suggesting that this
phase of the situation is one tc be
handled by a standing committee of
the house.
AS to the effect of the combine en-
the cost of sugar to the consumer tha
committee expresses the belief thaS
monopoly keeps the price up, bu:
makes no attemDt to fix accurately the
extent to which reasonable prices that
mig 1t exist under competitive condi-
tions are exceeded.
The report severely condemns the
original promoters of the sugar trust,
but describes the $4,000 present O W.
ers OF the stock of the American Su-
gar Refining company as 'fnn ocem
purchasers of profitable stock which
was unloaded on them by the few men
Who organized the sugar trust.'
Many Evils Found.
/ We find str:kingly developed in tho
sugar Industry several evils" say The
committee, aside from the primary
one of sitting competition VIII CT
seem to demand careful consid g., CT
and remedial legislation by the COZ
gress.'
Early in the report the pt ,secu-
tions of the sugar industry By the
federal government are reviewer The
organization of the first combiae in
1887 L. taken up in the two acti>1s OF
the government set forth or the slit
brought against the sugar trlst in
New York in November, 1910, toe re-
port says:
1T is but simple justice to sav that
this till seems to be both carefully
and well edapted to the purpose at
which it intended. 1t is now pending
in the circuit court"
| The committee charges that since
| the organization of the American
Sugar Refining company in 1891 IL has
repeatedly violated the Sherman law.
! "At the time it was chartered the
| Sherman law Rad been in force more
than six months and both it's organi
zation existence, coupled with it's
methods of doing business, was, as
, the testimony seems to indicate to
your committee, palpable and con-
tinuing violation Of the Sherman
law"
Twenty one Violations Found
Twenty-one actions in the organiza-
which the committee believes were
violations of the Sherman law are
enumerated, and after tracing the
growth of the American Sugar Refin-
ing company and discussing it's alleg-
ed capitalization and sale to its
pre- sent owners, the report says:
"The salient fas5e indicate with su-
preme emphasis the basic condition
Of the problem uncovered by this CON-
mittee. That we have in this govern
ment ample machinery for rigid in
QUESTION into the property of these
$4,000 people and for suits to decom-
pose that property into it's original
I parts by the destruction of it's or
ganization; but there is no arrange
ment of government whatever where
by any one of these $4,000 people
might have informed himself definite
ly of the hazards into which he or
she was buying
| The report discusses the doctrine
of government regulation Of prices,
but discourages it, saying "Competi-
tion and individuality are the great
remedies that have been sufficient
through all the ages to protect US
from the evils that now threaten"
The refining margin on sugar has
reached trife over 50 cents hun
dred pounds, according to the report
Just made. This was lowest during
the Arbuckle war in 1899, so cents and
prior to the organization Of the trust
in 1887 was s1.25. The committee
gives no credit to the trust for reduc-
ing he cost Of sugar, but reports that
i in 1870 sugar cost 1914 cents pound,