New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-02-02
HISTORY OF THE CONTROVERSY.


HISTORY OF THE CONTROVERSY.
THE ON AND Naw METHODS OF MANUFACTURTNG
sUGAR-yALUE OF THE POLAHscOPr A. A Tksr
observation-disclosures OF THE SECRETARY.
frPoM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF fHE fRibONE~I
WAsHINGToS, Feb. 1-FOr three successive years
the Secretary of the Treasury his annual report
has recommended a change of the law fixing the
tariff on imported sugars and during the past week
the COMMITTEE on Ways and Means has again been
listening TO arguments on the subject from repre-
sentatiyes of the importing and refining interests
and from officials of the Customs service.
The first laws of the United ates fixing the
rates of duty on imported foreign sugars divided
them into two classes only. raw and refined, the
former paving lower and the latter higher rate
of duty. In 1885, the Dutch standard of color was
introduced to enable Customs officers to distinguish
between the different grades of sugar. Every year.
at the great sugar sales IN Holland the crop I'M
ported from Java is classified according to its color
the dark and less valuable sugars beng designated
by low numbers, and the lght-colored ones by
higher Samples of each grade placed IN walls and
officially sealed, are then used for determining by
COMPARISON the grade and value of all other SUGARS
to be examined wherever the Dutch standard is
employed.
In 1861 imported sugars were classified for reve-
nue. purposes under three grades-rehnlng sugars
not fit for domestic consumption, raw grocery
sugars fit for cooking and the table and refined
sugars-and only three rates of duty were estab-
lished Subsequently these grades were subdivided
and IN 1870 the present sugar tariff was adoptea
which divides all imported sugars, including
Melado, which is sugar FROM which The mOasses has
not been separated into seven grades rs iolows
l. MeladO; 9. No. z Dutch standard and under; B.
all above No and not above No. 10; 4, all above
No 10 and not above No 13; 5, all above No. 13
and not above No. 49, @, all above No. is and not
above No. 20; T. all above No. 20. The lowest rate
of duty is imposed the first class and the highest
Old the last. In 1875 an additional duty of 20 per
cent adyaorem of thu then existing rates was I'M
posed
Soon after the additional duty was imposed it was
noticed by the officers of the Treasury Department
that the proportion of low grade sugars imported
below No z, and therefore paying lowest rate OF
duty) was rapidly increasing while IN fact the ini-
portations actually contained larger perccntage
of orystazed cane sugar than former ones OF higher
grades, and were, therefore, more valuable. The
Secretary OF the Treasury came to the conclusion,
therefore that the Government was being deprived
of portion of the revenue from sugar that right
fully belonged to it, the loss being estimated during
the last two years as high as $1,000 600 per annum
An inquiry set on foot by Secretary Sherman in
1877 brought to light facts that convinced
the officers of the Department that. IN order
to pass high grade sugar through the customhouses
at the lowest rates of duty, foreign manufacturers
of sugar were in the habit of adding artificial
colorng matter to the sugar. either during the pro-
cess of manufacture after it was completed, for
the purpose OF making it look darker than II nat
uraly was. This the importers and manufacturers
deny, and both parties have sent experts to the
sugarproducing countries to report on the subject.
~
OLD AND NEW METHODS.
A few words about the manufacture of sugar may
assist TO a better understanding of the controversy.
The old way was to boil down the Juice Of the sugar
cane IN open pans until the sugar which it c0ntaiucd
would crystalline on cooling This product which
consisted of sugar and mOlasses, was c0lled Melado
and was and is frequently imported by reiners
When it was desired TO separate the molasses from
the sugar. the Melado was placed in a hOgshead, a
hole was bored in the bottom, in which piece OF
cane or other porous substance was inserted and
the molasses was allowed to drain ont, whchlt would
do in the of several weeks he sugar Iet III me
hogshead was dark in color very damp and unit
for domestic use. 1t was imported Tor refining.
The I" grocery " or clayed" sugars were partially
refined by placing clay top OF them anu then
allowing clear water to dram through II anu the
sugar. The coloring, or attractive matter las me
chemists call IT, and mauy of the impurities, being
soluble IN water passed oil and lett The sugar much
lighter III appearance.
separating the sugar from the mOlasses in ceni1tu-
gal machines. the process Of manufacturing Is much
more rapid and perfect. The centrifugal machine ls
a circular vessel with perforated aides. winch Is
msde TO revolye at the rate o. from 900 to LOO
times a minute The centrifugal force throws the
moiasses and water t. the circumference and out
through the holes, leaving the sugar within very
dry. II during this process clear water is introduced
ii carries oil large proportion OF TIE souDle I'M
purities and cOlOTiDg matter, and leaves the sugar
CRYSTALS very clean and white. II no wafer
sintroduced and the mill is caused to reyolve com
psratvely slowly or II caramel Is added WITH the
water during the process after 10 rs completed.
either the publication Will not be as complete or the
sugar CRYSTALS will be cOored on the outside, giving
the body of the sugar dark appearance. Thus II
will be seen that centrifugal sugars of a very high
grade NAV be made to appear quite dark III color.
and one Of the questions at lssue between the De-
partmeut and the importers has been whether such
sugars shall be graded for the assessment of duties
according to their color or according to Their sac
charine strength. or the amount OF crystaiLzab!e
substance which they contain.
The secretary of the Treasury, after repeatedly
asking Congress to take some action on the subject
Issued an order last Summer directing Customs
officers Where the degree of saccharine strength
"a compared with the color showed that the sugar
had moi been manufactured in the mode coDtem-
plated by law, TO collect duties according TO the
frue color of the sugar and Tor the purpose OF carry
ing ont this view definite relations were established
between tue color and the strength" these lnstrnc
tions are held by the importers and reners TO be ~
contravention of the law which they say recognized
no test by which sugars shall be graded except that
of color and all duties which have been hxed IN
accordance with the saecharne strength of the
sugar, and not according TO color, have been paid
nnder protest The Treasury Department, on the
other hand, defends its action by referring to de-
csons Of the Courts which the Secretary says have
declared that I" Congress in imposing the duty or
sugars according TO their color meant the true color
of the sugar, which is developed by the ordinary
process of manufacturing. and which indicates th,
degree of perfection to which the process of caut
cation has been carried"
The PoLARIsCoPE AS A TEST.
This leads to consideration of the con
troyersy over the proposed introduction o
the polariscope az an instrument for determin
ing the grades of sugars. 1t has been dis