Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-04-17
Abolish the sugsr Duty.

Here is reason and grand opportunity
for Congress to do something swift, enec-
tive. and of great value to the people. The
Sugar Trust has accomplished by purchase
what IL failed TO bring about by intense
competition in 1880 ana 1891. The negotia-
tions for the control Of oil the rehneries
which competed with the trust last year
have ALI been completed, aud now the Sugar
Trust has complete control, either by alb
eolute ownership or working arrange
meuts, of all the sugar. houses IN the
country. Its monopoly is absolute. AS
soon as this control was assured the prices
Of refined sugars were advanced Is OF
cent per pound. directly in the face OF
fall in the price of raw sugars OF OF
cent per pound. The difference between
raw aud refined has been advanced from
a OF a cent to IL cents per pound. Were
1t not TO. the duty of 4 a cent per pound
the trust would not have been able to make
this large advance in the price OF rehned
The people consume about 65 pounds of
sugar for every inhabitant. Inc duty
therefore enables the trust to tax every
family about Sl.63 per year on Its con-
sumption Of sugar. The cost . OF Oh, r ennna
according TO the capacity and situation OF
the refinery. At the higher. figure the
trust makes profit Of e OF a cent per
pound. or s2.OSper barrel. This means q
yearly profit OF 81. Coz, 900 on the basis OF
the consumption of 1891.
The laws permit this extortion because
there is n duty on refined sugar. If crude
sugar was TO be made free, there was no
justification whatever IN tarih on re-
fined sugar, aud some OF the best known
and most influential rehners, including
one or more officers OF the trust, declared
emphaticaliy that they could produce re-
fned sugar as oheaply in this country a.
IL could be- produced in any other. BY
what influence, then. was the duty. on
refined sugar retainedl MIR. Spreckles
aud other refners who were then OPP
posing the trust. and who had the
ear OF authorities ut Washington. went
before committees Of the House and
Senate and begged that duties on refined
sugar should be retained. They urged
that they had already invested many mil
lions III refining works which were intend
ed TO restrain the Sugar Trust from taxing
and piundering the people at its pleasure.
IL they were TO have TO fight the trust,
ana and a. the same time to meet the competi-
uon oil foreign refiners without any duties
whatever, they would be ruined. 1t was q
matter OF Justice to them, they earnestly
pleaded, 10. give. them some chance Of
profits II IN bel IL Of the people Of this
country they successfully resisted the
monopoly.
Congress has power to settle this busi-
nes: n the interest of the people Of the
United ttates with scarcely any DELAY.
Inc Ways and Means COMMITTEES OF the
n9uss ought 70 be able to report without
aays discussion = short bill Of thyse 81
Ioar me- snolishine ali duties on refined
segxf.. There ~ no reason why such 4 bill
knouia mol Do passed in the HOUSE Ia I
sinale hour. and IL may 81 : aussfios
whether anybody Of influence IN Ira Sen,
80 would gentuye 70 oppose II. prostdenl
AaTison belisvss ~ the protective policy,