The Press., 1888-05-10
Issued Every Thursday Evening.
SUGIR TARIFF.

A correspondent of the New York Journal of Commerce., whom we have reason to be- lieVe is D. Kuowlton of Stafford, writes The time has come when sugar, an article of daily consumption by almost every fam fly in the country, should be made free. The duty as at present collected reaches nearly 2! cents per pound. The average c consumption of sugar per capita is found to be forty pounds. Consequently every family of twelve persons pays SIP per an- mum more for their sugar than they would if the article was free of duty.
 The duty is from 75 to 100 per cent. ad valorem, and that not upon luxury which people expect to be taxed heavily upon, but upon a necessity of daily use. The government no longer requires the revenue from this article. But it will be asked if that duty is abolished what will become of Louisiana? reply that if Louisiana can not produce sugar as cheaply as other parts of the world let her produce cotton, rice, oranges and other products for which her soil and climate are better adapted. Shall sixty millions of people continue to pay 2 cents per pound more for sugar to support a few planters in Louisiana in growing an article in defiance of climatic disabilities?
 But we are told that we must support and encourage infant industries. Well we have supported that infant long enough 1 to feel that by this time it should be able to walk alone or be abandoned as too fee ble to be worth raising.
 see by the newspapers that the sugar refners are willing that the duty should be l e luced one half. How amiable and con siderate After long years of monopoly ln preparing sugars suitable for consum- CTS, and excluding such as the people de sired by an influence they know so well how to exert upon our lawmakers they are willing to reduce the dutie one half still retaining such a discrim ination in the duty on the better grades of sugar as shall prevent their importation, aud allowing only the poorer grades to be imported which must pass through theii mills. Again how amiable Their inhu ence will no doubt be continued to hold their advantage (so long enioyed) of 6 drawback from the government on theil sugars exported, formerly 40 cents per 10( pounds (now reduced to 20) above the du ty paid to the government on the raw su, gar from which their refined sugar i, made. That drawback is clearly illegal and the secretary of the treasury is derelic in duty to continue it.
 If that infant industry of sugar refining cannot walk alone by this tune, it should be called ir9fdht No 2, and allowed to die
 And now the sugar refners have estab lished a sugar trust by which to consoli date their power into a grand monopoly and dictate the price of sugars to the con sumerS,. and also restrict the quantit, produced so that no possible competition can affect the prices they demand. Wha have sixty millions of consumers to say tC this lovely scheme?
 f Only one remedy remains. Let tn tariff on sugar be abolished and all grade and classes allowed to come in free. The the American la5orer would not be oblige to pay 2! cents per pound more than hi competitor in England. No wonder tha the Aborer in Euglaud can work cheape than his competitor in the United States With free wool, giving him cheap clothin and blankets for his family, and free suga and other articles of necessity, the buyin power of his weeks wages becomes an i'm , portant factor in the account. Who wi [ appear in Washington to ask for free su sugar? The Louisiana planters and tn sugar refncrs will be there to rivet, if pos sible, more firmly the shackles we no' wear. CONSUMER.