Sugar planter. [volume] (West Baton Rouge [i.e. Port Allen, West Baton Rouge Parish, La.]) 1856-1925, 1857-01-17
The Duty on Sugar.

| proposed reduction OF the tariff upon su
gar, We take from the Baton Rouge Id
vocate, of the 9Th inst. If we were posi-
tive that in the event of Coupres.
taking Oft the tariff, the Cuban Govern
ment would raise its expor. duty to double
It's present rates, it would be as mucl
protection as we would require but a:
we have no assurance that such you'd be
The course pursued by that government
It would be safer TO hold on to the tariff
we have than trust TO chances. The ar
tice deserves a careful and attentive pc
rusaI:
Iae proprIety of removing the import
1ntY ON foreign sugars is attracting tie al
tention Of the Northern p, ess and peonl..
Mr. Co!fax, a Black Republican from Iu-
'tiana, has sirnifed his. intention of IN
Producing IA bill to that eject into the
House Of Representatives. The an
nouneement OF the honorable Abolition
gentleman was accompanied by MANY
s"eetened suggestions to his constituency
put the grim, lorbhiing front Of the Black
Republlcanlsm is said to peer out through
the whole affair. It is broadly limited
that the movement is blow aimed a,
Louisiana, and through Louisiana a, slave
~ III tlie South.
| But let that pass. The advocates OF
removing tie duly on imported sug;r-
80 per cent. aa vaiorem, we. believe i,
81 seem 10 think that success it, The n,ea,
sure would have the effect of reducing
the price to coAsuners. Is this So !
There Is already an cr.poyt duty on Cuban
sugars OF ST. cents per box Of 500 lbs
inls duty has beeh exacted by tie
| Spanish government for many wears, ard
| orlnrs no lucouSiderabie revenue TO the
Golfers OF tie crown. as will readily. be
perceived. Our tariff tends to keep this
expert duty down. An abrogaiion Of
| the tariff would have 20 other effect than
increasing the duty LEVIED ty the Spanish.
government. and would necessarily con
Ter ADVANTAGES to the sugar interests OF
Cuba iusteisd OF uousum-rs in the United
States. For this reason it is said Mr..
hut.lI:e refuses to recommend the ab,-
i'l'on Of the tariff. On this subject, the
Missouri Republican very sensiby argues
that to add high export duty to the
present 30 per cent. ad valorem import
duty Of the United States, would tend
to diminish sales in Cuba, or crowd the
products of that ISLAND down to ruin
ouslg low figure, to eject any sales at ali
u foreign bnyers. Esor!itanl rates here,
might make both expert and import
ialy toIvrah'e. But strike off the tariff
here, and ll.e immediate benefit would be
to lie Spanish government; for the self
interest would instigate an increase OF
the export duty. Sugars would bear it.
ard there is nothing liked in ihe policy
Of the Spanish government, compelling
fixed duty, irrespective Of tariff; CHAR
ges elsewhere.
The. probabilities are that Secretary
Guthrie, as reported, will wait 70. some
negotiations with the Spanish Govern.
nent, before recommending maditica.
ton OF he policy OF the United States in
reference to the tariffs on sugars. For
the very 80 oe' CEN. aJsaorem tax, i'll
stricken off here. might be carried over
and added TO the Cuban export duty.
and sugars still be imported as now
But who would be benefited by the |
same! The Cuban government alone.
to the extent of the 80 per cent, while
consumers remain as they were. Itsis
die to suppose that that government
sodid resist the temptation promising SO
much profit to itself. in the absence OF
my arrangement with the United States.
t is equally idle to suppose tina; there is
my absolutely &pec$fc' export duty IN
Cuba, that canaot instantly be changed
~ a government order, either to highs
II or lower rate, as circumstances de>
Maud.
We have not examined the subject
to present 1t in all its bear
ags. We are in favor Of free trade in
very instance where it is practicable.-.l
Tue principle cannot be made to apply
u tais case Spanish policy efectuaiIy
nterposes and renders it an inpos
ib'ity. The same objection does not
plly to British iron and manufactured
abscs. Let Mr. Cofax and bis coat!>I
u'ors begin on these prolific objects of ,
axation upon the ''consuminy" public; Z
hey are more diversified, mare general. $
lore extensive in their bearings upon 9
,dust:y. L. gislaiion cannot materially .