Omaha daily bee., 1912-02-18
SUGAR TRUST HAS
BEING, IS REPORT
|. FROM COMMITTEE
Hardwick Investigators Announce
to House that Monopoly Keeps
Up Prices.
CONDEMN ORIGINAL PROMOTERS
Make 10 Attempt to Determine Ex-
tent Of Excessive Charges.
PRESENT OWNERS NOT BLAMED
Innocent Purchasers Now Merely
Holding Profitable Stock.
HAvEMEYER FIRST ORGANIZER
Genius Of Architect Superior ia
Restraint Of Society.
NUMEROUS EVILS DISCOVERED
Members of Committee Charge
PRESENT OWNERS NOT BLAMED
HAvEMEYER FIRST ORGANIZER
Genius Of Architect Superior ia
Restraint Of Society.
NUMEROUS EVILS DISCOVERED
Members of Committee Charge
sherman Antitrust Law Repeat
edly Violated Since Forma-
tion of Company.

WASHINGTON. Feb 1.-THE Hard
wick sugar trust investigating COM
mlttee. after many weeks OF open hear
lngs here and In New York and almost
continuous work since last May. reported
to the house today that a sugar trasl
exists The report. which IL signed by
all the members of the committee. re-
publicans as we'll as democrats. makes
no recommendation whatever as to how
for II shall be dealt with. suggesting
that this phase of the situation Is one ia
be handled by q standing COMMITTEES Of
tho house.
Al to the effect or the combine OF
the cost Of sugar to the consumer, the
committee expresses the belief that
monopoly keeps the price up. but makes
TO which reasonable prices that might
exist under competitive conditions are
exceeded.
The report severely condemns tn,
original promoters Of the sugar trust
but describes the 1900 present owners
OF the stock OF the American Sugar Re
fining company as Innocent purchasers"
OF profitable stock which was unloaded
on them by the few men who organized
the sugar trust.
Henry o. iiavemeyer Is given credit
for the organization OF the company, and
OF this the report says:
THAT this colossal speculation has
come through with success and today
stands on an established business basis
Is due TO the genius Of Its architect
rather than to any OF the restraining
powers OF society as expressed in law.
several Evils Located.
1--WE find strikingiy developed in the
sugar industry several evils" says the
committee, aside from the primary one
OF sitting competition. which seems to
demand careful consideration and rem
edlai legislation by congress.
"As this matter belongs TO the juris-
dictlon Of great standing committee OF
the house, your special committee will
not, as a COMMITTEES. undertake to pre-
sent a bill on the subject or to further
elaborate the idea herein suggested. being
confident that the entire subject matter
will receive careful and prompt consid-
Grafton by the standing committee hav-
ing Jurisdiction thereof"
Early in the report the prosecution Of
the sugar industry by the federal gov
ernment is reviewed. The organization
OF the first sugar combine in lsSl 10 taken
up and the two actions OF the govern
ment set forth. or the suit brought
against the sugar trust in New York In
November. 1910. the report says:
ut Is but simple justice to say that
this bill seems to be both carefully and
ably drawn: to be comprehensive and
adapted to the purpose at which 1t aims.
It is now pending In the circuit court"
Law Frequently Violated.
The committee charges that since the
organization OF the American Sugar Re-
flning company In 1901 it has repeatedly
violated the Sherman law.
"At the time It was chartered the Sher-
man law had been in force more than
six months and both its organization and
existence, coupled with methods Of do
ing business, was as the testimony seems
to indicate to your committee palpable
and continuing violation OF the Sherman
law"
The report continues: "And yet no Sc
rious attempt was made (prior 70 Novern-
Der. 1870 to invoke the civil remedies
provided by the antitrust law against
the corporation II Is plain to be noted
that the government has not even up to
the present time. so far as has appeared.
made any effort TO enforce tho penal
provisions OF the Sherman law"
Twenty-one acts in the organization and
operation Of the sugar trust which the
committee gives as violations Of the Sher-
man law are enumerated, and after
tracing the growth of the American
Sugar Refining company and discussing
It's alleged oyer-capitalization and sale TO
its present owners the report says:
These salient facts indicate with su-