The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-01-08
General Sentiment Among Producers I'M
poters and Refiners.
PREPARATIONS FOR THE NEXT CENSUS.
Radical Changes Contemplated
by Mr.. Cox's Bill.
CHARGES AGAINST JUDGE BL0DGETT.
FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.

THE SUGAR QUEsTIoN--vIEws OF IMPORTERS
AND REFINERs AS DEVELOPED BEFORE THE
COMMITTEE OF WAYS AND MEANS.
The proposed hearing on the vexedssugar question.
which begins before the Committee of Ways and
Means tomorrow, has brought here considerable
number of sugar importers and refners from New
York. Boston, and other points, who held
private meeting this evening to discuss the
various phases of the question and
how far their views agreed. The interchange of
opinion drew out that most of the points in ques-
ton there is general agreement, but other gen.
tlemen engaged in the business are expected tomor-
row no attempt was made to conclude upon any
definite policy to be urged upon the Committee Of
Ways and Means.
PROPOSITIONS ADMITTED
The following propositions appear to be gencr-
ally admitted
EYrst-That the government needs to raise
of about S35,0o0000 per annum from sugar
duties
Second-That the present system of levying the
duties by the color test is Anticipated and exposes the
government to loss, not by frauds upon the reve-
nue.. which declared trivial in amount by the
Treasury officers themselves, but by the fact
that foreign producers taking advantage Of
our Anticipated system. give an artificial
dark color to sugars which rich in saccharine
matter. So long the present color test is main
tanned such sugars in at low rate Of duty, not
by fraud or by violation of the law but because the
law makes the color and not the saccharne contents
the test.
Third-Importers and refners seem to be agreed
that the law ought to be changed in such manner
that whether color be left partial test not.
the government shall be able to test the quality Of
the sugar and exact duty upon that.
THE
Fomtt-It is uii1isputed fact that the merchants
and refners who formerly bought and sold also by
Inc color test have entirely given this up, and all
the sugar of the world, in this country and in
Europe, is dealt in by importers and refners
only by the polariscope Sest, which pays regard
1t all to color, but determines the exact quantity Of
saccharine matter contained in the sugar. this being
the only valuable substance in it,
THE poLAnIscopE TEST.
Fyh-The polariscope test being thus in universal
among merchants, and being found satisfactory
and accurate there, Congress is asked to adopt
it also the test in the Custom Houses. Here it is
objected by sugar that the government
cannot by reason of the ineicency of its servants,
this test exclusively. and that it would require
the employment of class of experts. To this the
answer is made that the importers and
rehncrs conduct transactions to the amount
of many millions in single firms the
faith of polariscopc tests made inexpensively by
experts and that special OF cents per ton on
imported sugar, which the importers and rcfners
would gladly pay, would more than dcfray the
pense of efficient class of experts using the polari
scope for the government.
PLAN.
Sirth--Of those advocating the use of the polari-
scope the largest number are agreed that the
Boston plan. called. is the. best. This
proposes to raise the duty 1--WE one-hn-
dredths of cent per pound for every additional
cov,tn I,or,po patto
scale, and to leave out entirely the color test The
advocates of this plan urge that the government
would i'm this way raise duty from the sugar
and accurately according to it's amount and that in
doing it would adopt that plan which all i'm
porters and rehncrs, without exception. have
settled the best and safest for their
business. Those who object say that the
change proposed would not meet the
approval of Congress- and that the color test an
adjunct. would be useful and would often save
trouble. because certain qualities of sugar. coming
from known parts OF the world may be safely Judged
by their color alone. 1t is also objected that the
polariscope test may in different hands vary much
two three per cent and that the government
using that exclusively. would not after all arrive
at exact result. To this the friends of
the Boston plan reply that using the color test with
the polariscopc the government might. with the pres
ent duties be made to lose thirty cents by underva
uation under circumstances where the Boston plan
would admit of q loss of only fifteen cents at most.
Serentt-So far as can be ascertancd all the sugar
men here importers well rehners. are opposed
to uniform duty. called which has been
proposed. The effect of this would be to de-
stroy American reincrs and to give our market
into the hands of English and Cuban
rencrs who could send in refined sugars ut the same
rate as
AMERICAN PRODUCTION.
Egth--It is shown clearly that American refners
by the perfection of their machinery and their
skill and abor-saving contrivances producing finer
sugar at lower prices than any other refncrs in
the world that. with absolute free trade In sugar
they could not only supply market more
cheapy, but could outse their foreign competitors
In the markets of the world. and that. il Congress
should devise iudcious system of drawbacks for
imporations. American rcfiners would soon COM
msnd the markets of the world with their sugar
SECRETARY sHERMAS's
Secretary Sherman is understood to desire the
fullest powers in the collection of the sugar
duty, and thinks that he should be author.
lied to use the color test the polariscopc.
and, where he thinks il necessary, thorough
chemical analys sis Tho sugar men make no objcc-
ton TO chemical analysis. but say that practically IL
would be OF no importance. Mr.. sherman inclincs
10 continue the color test as one OF the methods on
the ground that there great natural lines Of
sugar in which the color does tell sufficiently the
quality aud where IL would be needless to use the
polariscopc.
The Louisiana mon who desire higher protection
for their sugar will also be heard before the commit.
toe.
ADuLTERATIoN SUGAR.
On the subject of adulteration of sugar a curious
fact came out in the discussion this evening" Sew
erai Boston renners remarked that the re-
ports of authorizations had alarmed them as
they could not afford to be understood by
rivals using such means and that they had for
eighteen months past subjected Mr.. Hayemeyers
sugar TO careful chemical examination and had never
found any trace of adulteration and they declared
freely their entire disbelief in the reports circulated
on this subject 1t seemed 10 be the opinion OF the