Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1894-10-06
A q APPARITiON,
Some Plain Facts Concerning the Sugar
Business,


The bugaboo which has been held up
before the public that the repeal Of
the iniquitous Mckinley law would be
followed by an enormous advance in
the price Of sugar has proved a myth.
There has been no advance in the
price of sugar, and there will be no
change in the value of that commod-
ity except such as the natural law of
supply and demand may create. The
free breakfast table is freer than ever,
for the reason that the excessive tax
on china, spoons, cutlery, ~earthcnware
and glassware has been reduced to "A
revenue basis, with incidental protec-
ton. The bogie man Is a bogus APP
partition. He has neither spurs nor
carbine. lie is harmless,
There has been no advance in the
price of sugar, even to the extent of IL
nickel on a million pounds, since the
new tariff law went into effect" says
the head of a large mercantile company
OF this city. The retailers have made
the trifing advance during the can
ming and fruit preserving season
this year that they made last year and
made every year, 1t is the logical
consequence of an extraordinary de-
mand. But the tariff legislation had
nothing to do with it, direct or remote.
There has been no increase to whole
sale purchasers, whether the demand
is for English, Scotch, German or do
mestic product. The delay in legisla-
ton and the protracted session of con-
gress impaired business" he added,
but the new congress has not in
creased the price of sugar.
These are the plain facts in the case.
1t is for these reasons that the sugar
trust and its agents, the republican
senators, fought SO vigorously for the
perpetuation of the Mckinley law.
The refners r restrained by the anti.
trust feature of the new law from ad.
vancing the price Of the product OF
their works, and are obliged to pay
the tax which the new law provides
from the bonus the Mckinley law af.
forded them. 1t is an expensive
change to them, but not such a one AZ
will cripple the industry. The Amer,
lean sugar refiners can compete with
and conquer the world. The difference
is that now they have to be conten,
with the fair profits Of a Legitimate
business. The people will no longer
be plundered for their benefit.
1t having thus been shown tina
there has been no advance in the price
of sugar, 1t is easy to ascertain the
exact advantage OF the new supa,
schedule to the people. Under tht
Mckinley law q bounty Of two cents ,
pound was paid to sugar producers
That bounty amounted in the ag
gregate to $l2, 600, 900 last year. Tn,
sugar refners got a differential pro
lection Of one-half a cent a pound
which amounted last year to $40, 600,
900. OF this sum not a dollar wen,
into the treasury, though the peopl,
paid it in the shape Of taxes on thei
sugar. This tax on the food of tn,
people is released absolutely. On tn,
other hand, the new tax will produc,
to the treasury 49, 0O, 900 annually
and, as there is no advance in tn,
price of sugar. this is a clear gain
Adding the three sums together an,
the total IS ST., 900, 900, which Is tn
actual gain to the people from tn
change in the tax law in the matter a
sugar.-Kansas City Times.