The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-12-23

oil ways n Means III SVnB'eoo
the tariff upon sugar, is creating some exs
element in the refining and importing inf
,erests Of the seaboard cities. OF course
those cities are more Immediately con-
cerned than interior points like Wheeling.
Yet any legislation which effects the price
OF a commodity like sugar, is a matter oil
mere or less importance TO every citizen.
Our grocery merchants have been plenti,
fully supplied with literature bearing up
on this question, and as q memorial to
Congress upon the subject is being circu-
lated in the city, the discussion ofthe mat
fer may be Of Interest to many readers.
The production and refining OF sugar is
one oil the most important Of human In
dustries. 1t is consumed by the civilized
population ofthe world, and as its produc-
ton is limited to comparatively few por-
tionsof the globe, its distribution has made
it leading feature Of commerce and a
fayorite article OF impost duty by the vari-
Gus nations. The British government,
after exhausting every method OF taxation
in regard to this article, has at last abol.
ished all duties, regarding sugar no longer
q luxury, but q valuable, necessary and
economical article Of food.
When the necessities OF our Govern.
ment, developed by the rebellion, required
q vast addition to the revenue, sugar was
amongst the first to receive q heavy i'm.
post, which after several changes has
reached the high rate Of more than sixty
per cent OF It's average value insthe raw
state. Under the stimulus OF this high
duty there was a good profit to refners in
handling the very low grades of sugar,
which, under the provisions OF an I'D VA.
loren tax, pay the least duty, by which
they are enabled to furnish the consumer
with refined sugar cheaper than foreign
reineries. The extravaganza of our PEG.
pie during the flush timesfs manifested in
their use OF large proportion Of thetine est
refined white sugar, instead OF the raw
sugar, as beiorcthe war. Consequently the
H#H#EnHh - .HNs ~
refining interest has rapidly increased,
and the ingenuity Of the mechanic and the
skill o. the chemist have helped to attain
the most economical development. Of it.
It has, given employment to forty thou
sand hands, and has produced one thou.
sand six hundred million pounds Of sugar
during the past year, Under the pro-
vision Of the Law, reaners and importers
are allowed a drawback, or 4 rebuilding OF
the duty paid when sugars are exported.
Our refners have been exporting largely
of late years, supplying the markets OF
Great Britaina1f J5elJ b5TSNDSI
Naturally the high rate Of the duty Of
fers great temptation to fraud, especially
in estimating tho value, whichis determin-
ed according to what il, called the
Dutch or Holland standard-color.- Va
rious frauds are imposed upon the Gov
eminent by ~artificially coloring, to make
the sugar appear cheaper, and then wash.
ing off the coloring matter when theduty
is paid and selling Il for refined or high
grade. Again, 1t is alleged that the re-ex-
porters adulteate sugar with cheap and
hurtiul compounds, and obtain the rebate
on the full weight as pure s,isaS. The opi
ponents tof 1.-THE lrefiners -onG this
question do not stop at charges
Of perjury OF the part OF the reiners
and their agents, though they, embrace
men Of the highest character and standing
in the Union. The rules and regulations
OF the revenue department are very strin-
gent throughout, and calculated to detect
any fraud, yet all depends upon the integ,
riiy Of its employees. The Secretary otthe
Treasury, realizing the difficulties Of the
situation, in his annual reportIt to Congress
recommends the adoption Ola specific
duty on all grades upto a certain STAND
ard. This appears simple remedy, as
the amount Of duty would be, determined
by weighing. the sugar, aud frauds could
easily be detected. Yet in the mater Of
expectation the same question Of deter1
mining the purity or ihpuntyN ot~tne.
sugar comes up. The refners also.
argue, and II seems plausible, that,
the proposed change would relatively
place the highest rate upon die lowest
priced sugar, as for instance, a.susar cost
ing at the place Of production 5 icents to
pay aduty ot2 which would be IS per
cent OF value, while that costing !, cents
(the grade most usedd o refining paying
the same rate Of duty, would beoyeF soper,
cent. This wouldlruinithe refining trade,
of this country and transfer II ? Cuba or
Europe. The refiuerS ihsistthatthey ask
for no protection. In fact, they are will.