The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1912-02-23
BLAME SUGAR 1RUsI'|'
tlARDvylcK COMMITTEE REPORTS
IT HAS FOUND VIOLATIONS
OF SHERMAN LAW. MI 3
CONDEMNS OR ANIzERs
stockholders Called innocent Purchas.
ers-No Remedy Found BY In.
vestisators-Woutd Not !,
Regulate Prices.


Regulate Prices.
Washington, D. C.-The Hard.
wick sugar trust investigating com.
mittee after many weeks Of open hear
ings here and in New York and almost
continuous work since last May, re-
ported to the house that . sugar trust
exists. The report. which 10 signed
by all the members Of the COMMITTEES.
Republicans as we'll 20 Democrats,
makes no recommendation whatever
as to how the alleged trust and those
responsible for 1t shall be dealt with,
suggesting that this phase Of the stu
alton is one to be handled by stand
ing committee of the house.
AS to the effect of the combine on
the cost Of sugar to the consumer, the
committee expressed the belief that
monopoly keeps the price up. but
makes no attempt to fix accurately
the extent to which reasonable prices
that might exist under competitive
conditions are exceeded.
The report severely condemns the
original promoters of the sugar trust,
but describes the 10000 present own
ers of the stock of the American Sugar
Refining company as innocent pur.
chasers" of profitable stock which was
unloaded on them by the few men
who organized the sugar trust.
Henry o. Havemeyer is given credit
hn ~ ff1n Iva
ton.
Law. Violation Charged.
The committee charges that since
the organization of the American
Sugar Refining company in 1891 it has
repeatedly violated the Sherman law.
AT the time it was chartered the
Sherman law had been in force more
than six months, and both it's organiza-
ton and existence. coupled with its
methods of doing business. was, as the
testimony seems to indicate to your
committee. a palpable and continuing
violation of the Sherman law" the re.
port continues.
"And yet no serious attempt was
made (prior to November. 1910) to
invoke the civil remedies provided by
the antitrust law against the cor
poration. 1t is also to be noted that
the government has not even up to the
present time. so far as has appeared,
made any effort to enforce the penal
provisions of the Sherman law"
Against Price, Regulation.
Twenty-one actions which the COM
mittee holds violations of the Sherman
law are enumerated, and the report
says:
These salient facts indicate with
supreme emphasis the basic condition
of the problem uncovered by this COM
mittee:
THAT we have in this government
ample machinery for rigid inquisition
into the property of these $4,000 PEG.
pie and for suits to decompose that
property into it's original parts by the
destruction of its organization, but
there is no arrangement of govern
ment whatever whereby any one of
these $4,000 people might have been
informed definitely of the hazards in.
to which he or she was buying"
The report discusses the doctrine Of
government regulation of prices but
discourages it. saying, Competition
and individuality are the great RENE
dies that have been sufficient through
all the ages to protect US from the
evils that now threaten. We are not
yet ready to write an epitaph over
either"
No Beet Sugar Combine.
The committee estimates that 62.39
per cent of the sugar business is con-
trolled by the combine. It also finds
that the trust" has a large interest
in the beet sugar end of the business.
With its strongest competitor. Ar
buckle Brothers. there is said to be a
condition of armed neutrality"
OF the beet sugar growers the report
says:
Your committee reports that the
evidence as taken does not disclose
combinations between manufacturers
in the beet sugar industry that have
caused or had tendency to cause a
decrease in the cost Of sugar bests."
Washington, d. c. Investigation
Of the war department a. an out.
growth Of the difference between the
secretary of war and General Wood
and former Adjutant General Aims.
worth, which eliminated in the lat
ter's retirement after a threatened
courtmartial. is now practically al.
sured.
General Ainsworth was subpoenaed
to appear before the house commit,
tee Of expenditure In the war depart,
ment. He was directed to produce
papers of the department relating I'd
the charges against. Major B! Ray, bu,
members Of the COMMITTEES, including
Chairman Helm, admitted General
1890 Rsward For Fhls4. /,
Chicago, III. nGacials ofj Thu
! Jewellers, Protective associatlpp a.
& cided to ofer q reward 5of ,4.0 900 fol
the arrest and convictions lot sthS thiel
wj,0 r,faAa hia aanamA fss11ifT3 the afnY1