The Press., 1885-01-01
New York Journal of Commerce, Dec. 1othl VIEWS OF MERCHaNTS-STEPS TOWARD -g9s8 ig ~ FREE SUGAR. ess .siGlsA oil

New York Journal of Commerce, Dec. 1oth]
 VIEWS OF MERCHANTS-STEPS TOWARI
 -zf9a8 a t} FREE SUGAR. si1issl l5i
 The Journal of Commerce, deserving .,li ru the expression Uf it's own opinions for the ed itorlal columns, is ever read to give pub EiicatioD, so far as space will allow, to those Eof intelligent merchants on current topics of interest. The effect of the new Spanish treaty, particularly in reference to sugar, being now mooted question, the opinions of MT. Amedee Vatable, the active member of the well-known, firm of H. A. Vatabie & Son, was yesterday sought. Mr.. Vatable freely expressed his belief that the United States had got the best of the bargain with Spain, especially in the removal of tonnage dues, and other port charges on shipping
 -an immunity which could not probably have been otherwise obtained. He ac- cordingly thought the treaty was good one for us. Besides, lie regarded 1t as . step in the, direction of the removal of sugar duties altogether. So many other ngar-producing countries will come in to ask the same concessions from us. that we shall find we might as well do a wholesale business and take them all in on the same terms. The population of this country is taxed about $1 per head in payment of sugar duties, and the popular demand is Tn favor of their renioval." aA 1tIsa 4 sliA
 eOur own trade," continued MT. Vata- ble, "is largely with the French West In dia Islands, although we also tradesa good deal with Cuba and F, rto Rico. The eff feet of the treaty will no doubt be cinju4 rlous to our trade with the French West Indies, and as long as they are excluded from it's benefits it will debar them from sending us their goods. These consist al- most entirely of sugar. Their coffee is of very high quality, but goes to England, where consumers are willing to pay high CT price than could be obtained in our markets. If these islands would give us free trade, as nearly as possible, it no doubt would be to their advantage. If the treaty goes into effect they will be obliged to of fer some concessions of this sort, or lose their market."'s 7 ,s@.tr 7, < {.5a fasr estga g.
 MT. Danford Knowlton, of Knowlton & Co.,, shipping and commission merchants, No. 94 Front street, gentleman whose views on trade questions, especially those relating to West Indian and South Amer ican trade, are highly valued, was also ask ed yesterday what he thought of the new Spanish treaty. He replied that he was in favor of it. Why?. Because we want 4AO0 ,huu HI tAk6 uGt&E IuGuT4 are DOuQQ to have it, and this treaty is one of the steps by which it is to be obtained. It is evident that the benefit to be derived from the free introduction of sugar to the whole people would be far greater than tion of any one of the numerous articles named in our tariff. English consumers are buying good refined sugar to-day for 4 cents pound, while we are paying 2 cents or whereabouts, and this tax of from 2 to cents pound is paid by fifty mil lions of people for the benefit of a few Louisiana planters. Such a. tax is too manifestly unjust to admit of argument Moreover, sugar is forced. product in Louisiana. witch has not, the climate es- sentiai to it's most, economical production, and less than one-tenth of our needed sup ply comes from that source. Louisiana can turn to other kinds of agricultural in dustry with equal or greater advantage to herself and without taxing the whole coun- try for her benefit. The government doesn't want the revenue derived from the sugar duties, except to squander. Then, if we are bound to have free sugar, as I be lieve, the question is, whether we shall f. nally abolish duties without obtaining any reciprocal concessions from other sugar producing countries, such as Twill be se- cured by this treaty, or shall follow the enlightened policy which it represents, of making the removal of duty favor con- c. ded in return for the free or advantage ous introduction of the products of our fields and manufactures into the countries benefited by our concession.
 "Our present endorsements are due to overproduction, and we want foreign markets. We propose to other countries to admit sugars and other articles which we need free, or nearly so, if they will ad- init our appropriations on equally favor able terms. Now, shall we avail of those advantages while they are within our reach, or stupidly refuse them because some in significant special or individual interest is preiudiced?
 E ssWe abolished the duty on coffee Gin. cluding teal to please Brazil and satisfy the cry for "a free breakfast table, retain. ing the heavy duty on sugar, which made that breakfast table more expensive than any duty paid both coffee and tea com. fbined. In return for that favor Brazil i'm. posed an export duty on coffee, and our consumers gained little or no advantage. Why did we not demand reciprocal ad. vantages from Brazil? '.&S4s il5a '! ~s''f
 ,.y "Obiections to the treaty are made by our sugar refners because slightly light er-colored sugar would be admitted than the law now admits on an equitable basis. This objection sets up the interests of e very few against those of the whole people.
 ssIt may be true that the importation o1 sugar free would diminish the opportunity to manufacture refined sugar for export, which is now. fostered by the illegal allow. ance of drawback by the treasurer in ex. cess of the duty received by the govern, ment on the raw sugar from which it is manufactured. If all our sugar were i'm. ported free that bounty would cease and the taxpayers would be relieved from the necessity of replepishing thes treasury fol that drain. e-3SksI kASI
 ~ Collection is also made to this treaty, in view of the fact that Cuba and Porto Rico cannot supply us with all the sugar we require, and that the other portion be- ing imported under a duty, ,iwonld deter mine the price to our consumers, and no advantage be gained by them, While this isvtrue in the main, it Sescaped theS notice of even the ast1te Mir. Moore that the at1optio9 of this treaty. would compel the other sugar producing countries desiring to avail of our market, to come forward with similar treaties, and our full supply would be had under the same cltcun. stances, reaching the great desideratum oi free sugar. and relieving our consumers pt a heavy burden. Thus at one and the same time we will sobtainp free sugar and open foreign markets to our varied pro,