The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1878-09-25
FERNANDO WOODS COMMITTEE.
The Investigation of the New York Gus
tom HOuse-Hearing of the Sugar Com
frOversy.


New YORK, Sept. 1s.-The congressional
committee of which Mr.. Wood is chairman
continued its inquiry to-day. Many sugar
importers and refiners were present. Law
renee ID. Turnure, OF the firm of Moses Tay-
Tor & Co., believed the duty on sugar was
collected with vigilance and care. The
sampling and classification of sugar is most
difficult work but it is done as efficiently as
it could be, and he could suggest 10 i'm
provement. He does not believe the color
standard Is infallible, and he Is of opinion
that the aid OF the polarscope should
also be called in. Our tariff has been the
cause of the changing of colors of sugars
Producers have made their products fit our
tariff regarding the color so that the grade of
sugar is brought in at lower rate of duty.
He believed in having the rate of duty sDs-
cific. He would have only three grades. He
believed the present rate of duty an enor
nous one, being 21S cents pound, or nearly
20 per centum OF the whole value of the
article consumed. He thought the uniform
rate of one cent a pound should
be established. The revenue, if
the duty was reduced, would
fall off so per centum. A high fixed rate
such as three cents pound, would ruin the
American refiner, and would drive the whole
Robert j. Hewitt, who submitted a long
statement showing that the government had
lost nearly SIS, 200 900 by discrepancies in
duties, said his facts and figures submitted
were all obtained from treasury department
statement. Theodore Havemeyer said the
facts and figures were not correct. Salon
Humphreys, of 4. ID. Morgan IL Co, believed
the reports about frauds on the revenue were
immensely exaggerated. In fact, he thought
they had had no foundation for years
past. In 1870 the tariff was ~. 2 and pa
cents a pound, according to color Since
then many sugar growers of Cuba and other
places have vacuum pans, whereby their
sugars become partly refined while the color
is not changed. This centrifugal sugar then
comes into this market at the same rate of
duty as raw sugars of other countries, al
though owing to their being partly refined
they are worth more in the market. The
government probably loses 81 100000 a
year by not getting, full rates Of
duty on these centrifugal or partly refined
refined sugar. The profits all go to the pro-
duceTs in Cuba. The total annual consump-
ton of sugar in the world is about 2, 100. 600
tons, of which the United States takes 70O.-
900 tons. Merchants in their transactions be-
tween each other do not go by government
weighers, but by city weighers His house
I alone would have saved this year over 81 900
I if the government weighers decisions could
De dCCtpltu as COfItCb OsSOOu WELSH, "
Philadelphia, knew OF the refners who never
imported any sugar. The whole process of
manufacturing sugars has changed so much
that the present tariff is no longer good
one. He favored adopting a minimum rate
and advancing it according to the degrees of
polarization. He did not believe there were
any such frauds and of such magnitude as
has been reported. William T. Booth, of
Booth & Edgar, reiiners, said there was not a
cargo Of Manila sugar imported that had
not two coiers, and there was just as much
room for fraud in that trade as IN
the Cuba hogsheads. There were many
persons who would and could testify to the
facts before this committee, but they were
afraid, and yesterday man in the trade told
him he wanted to testify, but was told his
business would be ruined If he did so. He
knew there were frauds on the government,
and knew the persons who committed them,
but as his information was of a confidential
nature he could not disclose his facts. Mr..
Wood finally announced the sugar contro-
versy closed, and adjourned the session IN
fiji Monday