The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-12-03
A SWEET BATTLE.
The Questions at Issue Between the Secretary
ofthe Treasury and the Sugar Refnen.
SUGAR CESARISM.
What the Refners Claim Is Wrong and the
Secretary Gains To Be Right.


with question which created somewhat Of nutter
In commercial circles 1t alleged that the Treas
ury Department had discovered gigantic frauds per-
petrated by tho sugar importers OF this and other
cities. Widespread ruin among the heads Of this
great national industry darkly hunted a. ana the
Treasury was millions OF which II had been
defrauded by the representatives OF the sugar trade
Tho sugar importers tended that there was not the
least foundation in fact any such charges On tho
contrary ,bey insisted that they were suffering very
substantial grievance at the hands OF Secretary Sher-
man. His action, the heads Of this industry contend,
is ,pdeieusbe ard they have addressed TO the House
of Representatives the following pst,uon:-
s at II. % .
90 less extent IN the Importation and o..
have S s "a ~
so s:s' 81 onsr ha, With
81 Ii: .s s' Of F' March s's.'i %
e Il. til, saa 70 % en-.
i.e 70 crawSssk Of Ill tie duties paid upon
.ss's Ss
the seere..y Of he Treasury authority 70 .scs5.-n me
sassss r re Ss
Secretary 81 the lre.snry upon report commission
which, ssporsrs Of rsned sugars received osok nns.yas
per du,e. originally pad shereon and no more;
lists ana ri other citizens engaged in like bushes were
Tor The and thu. ssssna the
s simply ss Il: 70 a.ss not
cent. aud complied With the terms Of the statute
Treasury 1e .sSlsrs1y reduced such rate.
without cause and despite the
ssaes.ry d treasury assied sas iseus.
ascertain products Of refined a. from he
hat aS sss.f
ust oppressiv and despite ~ tho proxmity Of tho
sua. such .. the ade: The md sSo
II. u as
lessna other Aaysn'.Ess me OF
tinusd tho injury Of your and large
eral ,rade Of the country.
hat the rates on sugar shall Se axed
and determined In expressed By law ana not sue
t.y Of tie treasury, Whereby unexpected and unjust
and Ia support petition, and setting forth
ss yenT
hibi,s 4 20 /. inclusive.
The above document Is probably now before Con-
gress tho sugar re6ncrs were moved TO tts pre-
sentaton by The tact, as alleged therein, tha! tho
Secretary had nos only arbitrarily and unjustiy
the destruction OF tbe export trade IN that
COMMODITY, but had also refused 10 open the question
perts and had totally Ignored the protest OF citizens
that no was seriously and unjusty damaging one OF
the great industries o! the couutry.
REASONS sxAsoSA
The protest forwarded 70 Secretary Sherman Is drm
and trenchant In tone. Having drawn his attention
TO the TACT that they had vain solicited To-exam
nation Of the several elementary which alone
drawback should Daeed the protostors inform
the Secretary that his oical order ~ Objectionable
F.rst-Because the rates established by him are
arbitrary and indefensibe. resting upon no ascer-
tanned or proven iacts declaring explicitly
that drawback shall equal inc duty PAID, less
per cent because hot single practical examination
was made that sustained Inc reduced rasss sAs few
which wsrs NADIA anslAiang ,hs ratss IN tsvss pre-
tous 70 hs late order They contend that tbo 3eers
lary is authorized 70 administer Law. but NOT to
Second-Because the rates established by me- sner-
unjust and oppressive 10 those catizsss who
relying the OF The law, have Invested large
sums tho business OF refining Sugars, nave in tho
same confidence opened markets, aud ny their en-
terprse both In Importation and exporation extended
the general commerce oil the country.
Tl,rd-Because these arbitrary and unjust rates
nue. nor for any o.ncr public benefit but have been
demanded BY hostile INTERESTS foreign and domestic
uniounded assertions having been substituted for
The pro.es. then goes on to recapIulate tho arsu-
mcnts previously presented TO Secretary Sherman,
and concludes f0llows:-
The honest rcfner certainly congrstu
late himself upon which bis
sody his Of facts Of are
sssn sd so say
conmis.isn a BsiIimoro influences upSs tho
on II
motive. uI' ossss arc in The sS.aa
n sS ssqs not in not ssS
assertions. infersncss and su:pioioas have .ppar
Fence psr.insss thereto The dsea.ion conps.sn.
interrogation into the product renssd from crude sugars
s1sanauoSs as careful is set aside 10 taSo1 OF reports
S n%sy :.
rights under the law have been nlrinsed We enter
kned sugars exported. as established by you.
EXTENT TRADE.
For the benefit OF the genera may be we'll
70 state that these drawbacks simply represent tho
inount OF duty PAID upon the imported raw material,
refunded by the government upon tho Manufactured
article, per cent for customs expenses. 80
The magnitude OF she interests involved this
question OF draw backs on sugar may DO gathered from
TACT that this country produces annually no less
lban eight hundred thousand IONS, or about eighteen
hundred million pounds of refined sugar, beng some
what over forty Two pounds per caput Of the popua-
lion. During The months OF August ana september
last tho exporiattop oil this commodity amounted
10 about nlieen million pounds ior each month.
until the PRONUNCIATION OF The Secretary's order
threatened, tho renners claim thus I'm porlant Item
of national commerce with destruction ne renners
clam where dgures SO enormous are Involved IN
the aggregate the least fractional difference IN draw
1Loy further claim that Secretary sherman has gone
outside the law arbitrarily aud unJustiy, pvopr,d psofs
ment nj homo and It's virtual destruction abroad, q
great national industry.
"Wby, SIR said member OF the greatest sugar
Gnng house In the States, perhaps In tue world, 10
the writer yesterday, Gas piece OF pure autocracy
would DO difficult surpass the action taken by Mr..
Sherman IL as vol that the press should lay bold
Of these things. BECAUSE possibly public opinion may
do what private representation has failed TO eject"
s.WeI.u replied tho writer perhaps the HERALD s
about as good rvehcle as any tor your grievance"
"No doubt Of II. aud, II you will give your at
tcnton, will state as succnctly as possible what
com lain vi add what has induced petition Con-
rrcss against the arbitrary ano unjust action OF a
mont OF the Cabinet
previous 10 Mr. sherman's advent 70 place the sub
iect OF the backs sugars, beng somewhat
plcated aad requiring much tocnnicai ami Practical
knowledge for its proper adjustment, had been SUB
United by MIR. Brisiow 10 three several omissions
composed Of experts 1t Is needless to say than
that the conclusions arrived At were considered equ
liable both by the rcdners aud the Treasury. Then
comes Mr. Sherman, anu, while this great industry
has large outstanding contracts involving perhaps
millions OF dollars makes change, TO tie great detr
me MT OF the whole trade"
swell sir" said the writer. "what 10 II that the
sugar relners ask for specifcsilyY"
THE RELIEY DBxAxpKn
eve want Immediate present roiicf-ihat 10 to say,
we ask Tor q return the old scale OF drawbacks,
winch was au equitable ono until wo have had an OPP
portunty OF convincing the Treasury that the present