The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1894-04-19

sugar observation-disclosures In tbs Duty on
Raw sugar Will Cencilia,e Louisiana
| Scnators.
WASHINGTON, April 1.-the first
! symptoms Of the secret struggle to-
ward harmony upon the democratic
side OF the senate so as to send the
tariff bill to the conference committee
on series of compromises dictated by
the administration, was developed FRI
day in the form Of an alleged absolute
surrender by the democratic managers
Of the tariff fight to the sugar trust. A
| prominent republican senator, whose
word is absolutely above question, and
whose knowledge Of every detail Of
the tariff situation is most intimate,
stated Friday:
"You may state in most absolute
manner, without any qualifca ton
| whatever, that the democratic senators
in charge Of the tariff bill have in
| formed the representatives. Of the sugar
trust that they can rewritc the sugar
schedule to suit themselves, provided
| the opposition Of the sugar trust to the
passage of the tariff bill as it stands,
will lie withdrawn"
The senator added that II the trust
accepts this proposition of surrender
the sugar schedule viii be changed so
as to place duty Of from one eighth
TO one-quarter OF one cent per pound
upon refined.
The republican senator who made
this statement declined to permit the
use of his name, but declared that his
information was absolutely accurate
| and that it could not be questioned.
His statement is supported by the well
known fact that the chief obstacle now
standing in the path Of the democratic
tariff bill, upon the democratic side Of
the senate, is the sugar trust itself
which is dissatisfied with the present
sugar schedule
The duty now proposed in the bill
upon raw sugar is l cent per pound.
An ad valcrcm duty of 40 per cent. at
the present price of raw sugar in New
York, or from 2M to rs cents per
pound, would amount to cent per
pound for the lowest grade and 2 or
more for the better qualities.
This slight increase in the duty on
raw sugar would conciliate the Louis
lana senators, who are not satisfied
with the un;fornsspccifc rate OF cent
per pound on raw sugar, which the adj
ditional discriminating duty in favor
of the refined of from 4 to Il Of cent
per pound, would be far more satisfac-
tory TO the rcfiners than the schedule
us 1t now stands in the bill
Naturally enough, the news of this
surrender, when repeated to the demo-
Gratis, was discredited. Senator Harris,
of Tennessee, tho democratic parlia-
mcntarian who has superseded Senator
Voorhees, in the tactical management
of the bill on the floor, was asked
whether the sugar schedule was to be
changed, In accordance with the wishes
of the trust. Mr. Harris appeared as
tonished at the report, and when as
surcd it WIS current, and that it came
from source not only yeracious and
respectable, but with equal dignity
with himself, he said:
Il do not know OF any such agree
mcnt, and l am certain that if any
such agreement had been made l would
have been aware Of it.
Other democratic senators declined
to reply to any questions upon this del
icate subject
The accuracy of the grave statement
here quoted can only te proven when
the senate comes to act upon the sugar
schedule, or perhaps indeed, not until
the bill may have been placed in its
final form by the conference com
rnittee