The Press., 1888-11-01
(For The Press.) THAT WICKED SUGAR TRUST.

Among the many combines and trusts recently organized know of no other so deserving of the above name as the sugar trust. It affects every one, from the child in the cradle to the old man upon his death bed.
 Being an article of every day consump- tion, it should be the object and aim of every wise government to make it as little expensive to the consumers as possible. Ever since the change of our tariff laws, from duty of twenty-six per cent. ad va. loren to a specific duty per pound, it has seemed to our legislators to be a convenient article from which to obtain revenue, and from time to time the duty was raised un- til it reached seventy-five to one hundred per cent. many cargoes paying more gold for duty than the invoice value at the place of production. Only two reasons for tbis are Rpparent-one to obtain revenue, and the other to protect a few producers in the uncongenial climate of Louisiana. That state which produced an annual crop of over four hundred thousand hogsheads of sugar before the war, now gives only lit- tie over one hundred thousand hogsheads, notwithstanding the enormous protection, showing that the climate is unfavorable and other crops are more profitable. At the time the tariff was changed from ad valorem to specific rates, the sugar re- fining interest, which was then a rapidly growing one, besieged congress to place n large discrimination in rates of duty on the better class of foreign sugars which were suitable for consumption, 20 as to check, or prohibit, their importation, and thus compel consumers to submit to their prices. On every change in rates of duty the refiners have succeeded in maintaining t1oee odious discriminations against good sugars, by concert of action, by great elo- quence, good dinners, and champagne. Thus; by government help, the refners of the country have become rich at the ex- pense of consumers, and are now in po- sition to form their trust and bid defiance to the people.
 The sugar trust is therefore built upon individual greed and congressional aid. Now, Mir. Editor, to borrow well known expression, "what are you going to do about it?" People say, at once, prohibit it by law. That l consider much easier said than done. Our law makers, it may be said, without any reflection upon their talents, are not more clever than our sugar rehners. Their charters, under state law, may De E0ken away, put could not the ns- tute president of the trust easily become the legal owner of all the re6neries by ar- ranGement with others now interested, and, as individual owner, dictate prices
 To my mind, there is a better way to deal with this outrageous imposition upon the people. Repeal all duties upon sugar of all grades. If our refners can take the poorer classes of sugar which are sold at low prices at the place of production, and by manipulation make them suitable to our taste, we are willing to pay them we'll for 1t, but we are not willing to longer sub- init to their dictation.
 All such abuses, permitted or abetted by the government, tends to create disgust and unrest among the people, and leads them to give heed to the socialist or an. archiss, who would destroy all government because of the injustice so constantly ap. parent.
 We have cheap bread now give us cheap sugar, cheap clothing, cheap blank. cts for our rigorous climate, and pay for the support of government on iuxuries such as spirits, wines, tobacco, &c., which the poor man is not compelled to use.
 The writer's experience may not be un. like c majority of housekeepers, when he finds that his bill for sugar, although he buys 1t at wholesale. is larger per annum than for -four.
 Open to us the markets of the world for sugar, Id then if the trusts win not give