Birmingham state herald., 1896-12-31
CANE AND BEET SUGAR
Fully Discussed by Able Representatives of the
 Two Industries.
TolNCREAsE THE REVENUE
Would Force an Increase of Price to the Consumer-Some Sharp Questions Put by Committeeman, But Were
 All Promptly Answered.

Washington, Dec. S0-The session of the committee on ways and means today was given. to the question of sugar du- ties. The opening was given to the su- gar importers whose views were voiced by MT. John Farr, of New York, who said that at a recent meeting of the sugar importers of that city, it was unani- mously decided that an ad valorem rate of duty was unfair, unreliable and ex- ceedingly difficult in practice; that l cent a pound should be imposed on all sugar below 75 degrees polariscope; and that additional discriminating duties should be levied on all sugars coming from bounty paying countries. The beet. su- gar interest was represented by MT. Henry T. Oxnard, of Grand Island, Neb.; MT. Herbert Myrich, of Chicago, editor of the American Agriculturist, and MT. R. M. Allen, of Ames. Neb., president of the Beet Sugar association.
 The cane sugar interests of Louisiana were represented by MT. J. D. Hill, of New Orleans. No representative of the sugar refining industry had applied for hearing, and there was a conspicuous absence of the members of the sugar trust.
 In the course of his statement MT. Farr gave the following figures as being the nearest to an ad valorem basis, and as representing fairly all interests:
 "On all sugars testing by the polari- scope, when landed, 75 degrees or under, cent per pound. on net landed weight adding .03 per degree for each degree up to 100 degrees fraction of degree to be assessed in proportion.
 An additional duty on sugars above number 16 Dutch standard in color. to prevent the foreign refiners from enter ing their soft refined sugars here at the same rate of duty as raw sugars of the same test"
 It was also recommended that an ad- ditional discriminating duty on all sugars coming from bounty paying countries with authority to the executive to re- duce or increase this additional duty in such proportion as the bounty paying countries may from time to time raise or lower their bounties.
 It was estimated that the average po- lariscopation of raw sugars imported into this country is about ninety-two de- grees Such sugars would pay 151 cents per pound duty, which would produce an annual revenue on this article of about $50000000, calculating on importations of about 100000 tons of dutiable sugars, which has been the average for the past few years
 The next. speaker was Mr Solon Hum- phreys, of New York, who said that he had been appointed chairman of committee of the sugar trade of New 1OTk 10 COIne DeIOTe the ways ana means committee and tell them something about the difficulties of the existing tariff an ad valorem rate, as applied to sugar, and to ask that, in making it's new tariff meas ure, it should be made on the line of spe- cific duties on sugar. Mir Humphreys enumerated some of the reasons why specific duty on sugar should be substi- tuted for an ad valorem system. The ad valorem system he said was unfair to the merchant because he never knew yVh a ha hp fr t.o 1r,,tt1 Io was liquidated; unfair to the government as a revenue measure and entirely un- reliable. The revenue from sugar two years ago had been about $43,000,0 GOO, and he doubted whether this year it would reach $21, 100000. This decrease of rev enue was not due to any falling off in importation, but in the reduction of the invoice prices. He estimated, however, that under the specific rates as advocated by the sugar trade of New York, the rev. enue from sugar would be from $49, ,O0O,- 900 to $50, ,O00, ,000.
 Would not the cost of sugar." MT. Evans, of Kentucky, asked, "be advanced to the consumer?' tgatf.
 "Yes." MT. Humphreys replied, "but the additional cost would be so inexpressibly small that 1t would cuttno figure In the expenses of a family"
 MT. Evans inquired as to the total i'm portation of sugar from the Hawaiian islands MT. Humphreys estimated the importation of this years crop at 150,0O0 tons A
 portation of the country" MT. Evans suggested.
 Yes, sir 10 per cent..' said Mr. Hum- phreys.
 "We want" he continued, "all the raw sugar that can be used in this country and we recognize that unless difference is made on sugar above No. 16 in color, the importation of refined sugar from abroad will go on increasing very large ly to the detriment of the sugar trade of the United States. We also recommend an additional discriminating duty on all sugars coming from bounty paying coun- tries. It is manifestly unjust to all sugar producing interests in the world for any one country to allow an export bounty on sugar. Such export bounty is dis organizing factor in the sugar trade all over the world. We are therefore unani- mously of the opinion that the one-tenth cent pound now imposed on sugar from bounty-paying countries is not sufficient, as within the last few years Germany has increased the bounty to about one fourth cent pound. We hope, therefore, that instead of one-tenth cent a pound on such sugar, the additional discrimin- ating duty shall be made at least equal to the actual bounty"
 P. J. Smith, of New York, wished to inn press upon the committee the difficulty of in ad valorem duty, under which he said it was impossible to tell what the rate would be until the sugar was landed. He cited one case where the difference in duty on cargo amounted to S20,000, the rise taking place while the sugar was be- ing shipped. It was impossible to land this cargo and 1t had to be sent to Liver pool. In this way many sales were lost.
 MT. James D. Hill, of New Orleans, made an argument on behalf of a com mfttee of the American Cane Growing association. He asked that the rate or duty on sugar under the act of 1883 be re- imposed. Nothing less than that, he said, would be satisfactory. if MT. Payne inquired as 10 what the reve- nue would be if the duty of 1888 was rez : stored
 Nr. Hflf calculated that the rexeni1e