Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-01-07
WASHINGTON CULLINGS.
TIE Senate and House Both Flooded
With Bills.
WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE.
Louisia7sa and Kansas Want Pro-
lection for Sugar-Interest-
ing Discussions.
tsrEaAI DISPATCHES TO THE REcoRD-vMoN.l
WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE.
Important Evidence Given by a Number
of Citizens Yesterday.

Important Evidence Given by a Number
of Citizens Yesterday.
WASHINGTON, January 6th.-The first
gentleman to appear before the Ways and
Means Committee this morning was f. w
Cheney, the President of the Silk Associa-
ton of America.
He said that the Senate bill was accepta-
bic to him.
Britton Richardson, the Secretary of the
same association, advocated the imposition
OF compound duty on silk
He said that about half the silk con-
sumed in this country was of American
manufacture. The great obstacle which
American manufacture had to contend
against was undervaluation. He did not
believe any duty would be laid on raw silk
high enough to protect the silk growers oi
this country without crippling the manu-
facturers
Philip Walker, chief of the silk bureau
of the Department of Agriculture, sub
mitted specimens of cocoons and silk pro-
duced from those raised in the United
States
He dwelt upon the importance of build
ing up the silk industry in the United
States.
The Department of Agriculture had pur.
chased good many cocoons from the La
dies Silk Culture Society, which had col
lected them in California.
Joseph Neuman, of San Francisco, ia
vored the imposition of duty on raw silk.
John Dymond, President of the Sugar
Planters Association, read memorial
asking for protection sufficient to enable
the United States to produce its own sugar
Dymond said free sugar from the Sandwich
Islands did no affect the price of sugar in
this country, and was therefore a detri-
ment to the sugar industry of the United
States.
Ex. Governor Yarmouth, of Louisiana,
spoke at some length. He said that during
the political campaign in his State, he had
been met at various points by Representa-
tive So-and-So from Pennsylvania and
Ohio and Michigan, in favor of reduction
of so per cent. on the tariff on sugar. In
the face of these speeches he had not been
as successful as he would wish in convert
ing his Democratic friends. Yarmouth
thought the effect of bounty after q year s
experiment would be destructive of the
sugar industry. "1f you want friends in
Louisiana" said he, 'you must not touch
the sugar tariff. We cannot stand a reduc-
tlon OF half a cent pound. 1t would be
ruinous TO the industry, and without sugar
the city of New Orleans would be depopu-
lated. Ii the committee could guarantee TO
the planters that a succeeding Congress
would not disturb it, he would be glad to
accept bounty of two cents a pound on
the sugar he raised. He wanted, however
to stand on the same ground with other
protection industries"
Governor Gear remarked: "You don't
stand on the same ground with them.
You don't produce anything like enough
to supply the demands of the country"
Yarmouth replied-"We bid fair 10, il
we are given the encouragement extended
to other industries. What we want is tC
be let alone"
Representatives Peters, of Kansas, sale
he was interested in silk culture, sugar anC
salt. He asked protection for his silk.
raising constituents. by suitable duty or
raw silk. He cited statistics showing
the Kansas sugar product from sorghum
cane, and how it was increasing under the
protection of tariff.
Mr.. Peters doesn't think much of bounty
1t is departure from the tariff policy, with
which the people are familiar Its imposi-
ton would invite constant agitation of the
question to the detriment of the industry
Kansas needs additional capital to put up
sorghum sugar mills, but that capital can
not be obtained under bounty. Witness
however, argued strongly IN faVOI OF the
retention of the duty, and, turning his re-
marks into political vein, said that there
was feeling of unrest among the farmers
in his State, which if not allayed might
result in making Kansas, with its $1,000
Republican majority Democratic State
Henry l. Onant of Grand Island Neb.,
made an argument in favor of protection
to the beet sugar industry, predicting that
with the retention of the present duty
beet root would within twenty years out
strip sugar-cane and sorghum in the pro-
duction of sugar A reduction of the duty
would kill the sugar industry.
Professor Wiley of the Agricultural De-
partment did not anticipate very high re-
suits from Kansas sorghum, as a 10-per-
cent. article like sorghum could not COM
pete with 14-per- cent. article like beets.
Sorghum, however, made excellent alco-
hol, and he thought Kansas stood in its
own light in preventing its people from
making alcohol.
In the secret session the Chairman was
instructed to report to morrow his admin
istratiye bill.