The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-06-17
Father of Beet Industry
Tells of Formation of
Sugar Trust
DAKOTA EDITOR
SPRINGS SURPRISE
Had No knowledge of Editorial Re-
flecting Upon Senator GrOnna.
"Sugar at a Glance"
Comes Up Again

Washington, June 16.-Henry L. Oxnardp
known as the father of the beet indus
try and the vice president of the Amer
lean Beet Sugar company. was the prin
cipal witness today before the Senate
lobby investigating committee. Mr.. Ok
and proved an entertaining witness. He
told the committee how New York bank
ers who helped to organize the beet sugar
company insisted upon putting in about
$1500,00o water in that $20.0o,000 cor
poration; how he and his brothers had
made about 100000 BY the sale of much
ftheir share of this watered stock and
gave warning that the Underwood bill.
with its free sugar provision, would re-
suit, in his opinion, in the formation of
a new sugar trust which would not
violate the antitrust law
The committee took Mr.. Oxnard over
most of the ground that other anti-free
sugar witnesses have covered. He told
them he received s1o,ooo a year in his Of
fetal capacity but that it was not for
executive work. The questioners
learned that he had been fighting reduc-
tons in sugar duties for many years,
and heard with interest that he knew
something about Sugar at a Glance"
the celebrated pamphlet that was made
a Senate document and sent over the
country postage free under the frank OF
Senator Lodge.
Springs a Surprise
when A. Y. Moore owner OF the Fargo.
N. D., Courier News, and A. b. Baker,
general manager of that paper, gave their
testimony about an editorial recently,
printed In the News, which Senator Gron-
ma thought was a reflection upon him,
and which led to their being subpoenaed.
Both men made the long trip to Wash
ington in answer to the Senate summons
aud then declared under oath that they
knew nothing of the editorial until they
saw 1t IN print. II was written, they said,
by James A. Metealfe of Slendive, Mont,
temporarily employed while Baker was
away from Fargo. Both Moore and
Baker said that they had no reason to
doubt Senator Gronna's political and pri-
vate integrity and honesty. and Moore
said that retracton might be printed.
Metcalfe had written the editorial, they
lHouSnl, Iutftly III al iliIPdit way
Another witness was Hiram Cove of
Denver. employed at $1,000 a year by the
Great Western Sugar company, who said
he had given up the last eight years to
a study of the economic side of sugar
and to convincing congressman of the
soundness of his views for a duty on that
article. Mr.. Cove testified that before his
employment by the sugar company he had
been superintendent of schools of Den-
yar Althoroh tho thern1ompter outside
the committee room was trying hard to
step over the 100 mark and two electric
fans were kept busy all day long In an
endeavor to make cool spot in the sur
rounding heat Mr.. Cove sat for half
an hour in the witness chair with an
overcoat over his knees. He had not
talked with many senator's, he said but
he remembered a dinner with Senator
Brstow at which he tried to convince
the senator OF the necessity of the dutch
standard" in sugar. Instead of convinc-
ing Mr.. Bris.ow, he explained he came
a way convinced that the dutch standard
was unnecessary. Twice in eight years,
he had appeared before committees of
Congress and he had deliv cred addresses
before various organiza tions on the sugar
question.
Austin Last Witness
Harry A. Austin employed by Trueman
G. Palmer the Washington representa-
tive OF the United States beet industry.
was the last witness. The committee
snent nearly two hours in an attempt to
find out just whfN happened to sugar
at a glance" after the Senate ordered
much of the material in it printed a
public document and its actual APPEAR
ance in pamphlet form. They endeavored
to find out what he knew about an al
legged order of the Senate regarding the
printing of the pamphlet, which does not
appear in Senate records, but is printed
on the title page of Sugar at Glance
The hest information Austin could give
was that his order which has aroused
the Indignation of the committee, must
have appeared in proofs received at Pal
mers offices from the government print
ing office. Officials of that office have
already explained to the committee that
they knew nothing about this order but
they have not been put upon the stand.
They probably will be heard later.