The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1882-12-21
ITIE PRESS.
THURSDAY MORNING. DEC. 81.
Our Sugar-Bowl.

OUr 0uSdT-bOWl
The report of the Tariff Commission, now
under consideration by Congress, contains
many excellent recommendations, and is
perhaps as good judgment, considering the
conflicts of opinion, the clashing ofinterests,
and the disputes about facts, as could be
formed. 1t certainly presents good mate
rial for Congress to work upon. That is
probably all Its authors expect. They
do not look to see their opinions ac-
cepted without hesitation or their sugges-
tions adopted without revision.
Some of the recommendations have been
objected to, and even sharply criticised.
The most conspicuous of these and the one
most affecting the general interest is the
recommendation regarding the duty on
sugar. The objection seems to us we'll
taken aud it should be sustained by Con-
gress. The duty now in force is, all admit,
intolerably burdensome. The reduction
proposed is, we believe, entirely inadequate.
Sugar is no longer luxury. It has become
necessity in every household. 1t is used
by rich and poor alike, and as the number
of poor men greatly exceeds the number of
rich men the greater part of the tax falls up
on those least able to pay it. The tax now
reaches the enormous sum of SAT 100000.
1t has been increased from time to time un-
til it is now far above the war tariff. 1t has
become the most enormous of the duties
In force, and it is the duty of which
the Commission advises the smallest reduc-
ton. Other duties are to be lessened rs to
80 per cent. the sugar duty but Is per cent
1t is even proposed to cut down the taxa
ton on tobacco, while maintaining that on
sugar at nearly the present rate. The tobac-
co pouch is to fare better than the sugar
bowl.
At present imported sugar, except that
grown in Hawaii,pays duty of about So per
cent of its value; that is, the consumer
pays $3.50 for every dollars worth of sugar
he buys. The quantity raised in this coun-
try is comparatively small, and its price as
high as that of the imported article. About a
million tons is annually consumed. Of this
amount Louisiana furnishes $4,000 tons and
Hawii 100000 So nearly 100000 tons pay
duty. During the last fiscal year the value
of imported sugars was in round numbers
$93, OOO, 900, and the duty collected upon it
$4,000, 900. The reduction contemplated
by the Tariff Commission does not mate
rally lessen this extraordinary burden.
That the people, the sugar consumers,
earnestly desire considerable reduction of
this tax is not to be denied. They insist up
on it, and unless Congressman rebel and defy
the will of their masters, the reduction will
be made. The opposition to the change
comes from certain great interests who be-
lieve their chances for gain will be lessened.
The Louisiana sugar planters for whose
benefit the high duty was in part established,
insist that they must be protected. But this
interests not embraced by the protective prin
ciple. The aim of protection is to create and
stimulate industries and guard them while
they are feeble. But the Louisiana sugar
fields were not created by act of CONGRESS,
nor has their product increased under the
heavy duties. 1t is no larger than it was
before the war. This is necessarily the case,
iOI dl lHC Cduc 10 SioWu nUW tHdt IOOm Can
be found for on he land. All the duties
that could be imposed would not swell the
crop, nor would the reduction of taxation
diminish it. With the sugar planters stand
the glucose men, So long as sugar is very
high there is profit in making glucose with
which to adulterate it. So the glucose man
ufasturers of the West strike hands with the
cane planters of the South. They have an
ally in the San Francisco monopoly which
controls the entire importation from Homo
lulu and SO regulates prices that the free SUI
gar of California costs more than the taxed
sugar of the East. These ara the interests that
from selfish motives and in opposition to the
wishes Of the people oppose any considera-
BILE reduction of the sugar duties They
must not be permitted to sway the decision
of Congress.