Omaha daily bee., 1896-12-31
ARGUE FOR A SUGAR TARIFF
Strong Pleas for Encouragement to the
Beet Sugar Industry.
HEARING BEFORE THE HOUSE COMMITTEE
Henry II. oNnnrd wants Both nm Inns
port Duty nnd Bounty with
CountcrNnilinE Duty AGAINST
Export Bounty Countries.


fore the ways and means committee today
and 1t was the most interesting, as well as
the most important, schedule so far consid-
cred, The conflicting interests of the produc-
ers. reiners and importers were brought
out in sharp contrast. The producers wanted
higher duties all along the line. and the re-
hners pressed for high duties on refined and
not so high on raw sugars. The latter were
especially anxious that in imposing counter
vailing duties against export bounty coun-
tries the additional duty should be levied
only against the refined article, The inn
porters the cane growers the renners and
the beet growers were each given innings by
the committee John Farr of New York.
Solon Humphreys of New York and p. ].
Smith of New York represented the im-
porters; Colonel J. ID. Hill of New Orleans
represented the cane sugar growers; w. j.
McCann of Philadelphia the refiners, and
Henry T. oxnard of Grand Island, Neb., and
Herbert Myrick, the beet sugar interests.
Francis Thurber, a New York merchant,
and j. IL. Spher Of this city; Bishop Thomas
X. Culer Utah. and r. NJ. Allen of Nebraska
also made arguments, while Senator Perkins
of California submitted a printed brief.
Senator Perkins of California presented
an argument in favor of the imposition OF
a specific tax of ~ cents pound on inn
ported raw sugars. He showed that the
consumption of imported sugar by the
United States is about 100000 pounds
year. all of which, If protected he said
could he produced in few years within
our borders He showed that the area ca
pabe of producing beet sugar was sufli-
Client to more than supply the demand for
the United States and that sugar beets
could be raised on soil ranging in character
from the alkali plains of the Pecos river
in Utah to the rich soil OF California. He
pointed out the fact that France alone pro-
duced sugar beets enough to manufacture
all the sugar that we import and that Ger
many is a still greater producer of sugar
of this character. Austria is also large
producer. These countries, he said, have
protected this interest, so that II has been
enabled to increase to its present vast di-
mensions, and are now increasing the boun-
ties and duties In order to protect their re-
spective producers against the competition
of the European beet sugar countries The
sugar producers of the United States are
forced into competition with the protected
sugar of Europe, and for this protected
sugar ara paying out nearly 900 per
year This sum, he argued, should be re-
tained in the United states and paid out
to our own laboreTs, farmers and mechanics.
Tho Importance of beet sugar In the United
States was set forth. it being shown that
the benefits 1t conferred on country. by
giving a new source OF revenue to Its owners,
building up new and houriShing communi-
ties Wherever q DGCt sugar Is tS- !
tablished and by the addition to the gen.
eral prosperity which 1t makes, furnished
the reasons for the protection OF beet sugar
by foreign nations. The senator quoted
from the report of United States Consul
Muth. who urged upon the United States
the necessity of protecting the American
sugar interests.
The importers were heard FIRST Mr.. John
Farr of New York opening the argument.
Their recommendations as presented by Mr..
Farr were: First On all sugar testing 20
degrees a duty of cent pound.
adding cents per degree to 100 degrees.
Second, an additional duty of about one
fourth Of a cent differential on all sugars
above l6 Dutch standard in color to prevent
refners from entering refined sugars at the
same duty as raw sugars OF the same test.
Third, an additional discriminating duty
on all sugars from bopntypaying countries,
with authority to the president to raise or
lower duties on goods from these countries
as the bounties were raised or lowered.
This scheme, the importers estimated, would
yield the government a revenue OF $5OOOO,-
000 per year, the amount of sugar paying
duty being about 100000 tons, the average
polarscope test being 92 degrees.
In reply to a question from Chairman
Dlngley, Mr.. Farr declared that there was
no undervaluation Of sugars imported. but
owing to the strict Interpretation of the
law by the customs officials the tendency =
was to pay more duty than the law calJ/
of the estimated values in Trinidad and
other countries, where there were no market
values.
LONDON PRICES MERELY NOMINAL. +.
what would you say asked Mr.. Ding
ley, ito the statement furnished the COM
mittee by Henry A. Brown of Massachu-
setts that the invoiced value OF all sugar
imported in 1893 was an average OF three
tenths of a cent a pound under the London
quotation?"
Mr. Farr considered that statement un-
truthful and entirely wrong The London
values were not representative, as Germany
had absorbed the business. London prices
on cane sugar were merely nominal.
The next was Mr.. Payne on the effects
OF the operations OF the American Sugar
Refining company on the business The
importer said that only in occasional bar
gains could the American Refining company
buy It's goods cheaper than other firms.
It's tendency had been to reduce the price
of sugar throughout the world. Under the
present differential rate OF $40 cents the
lmportations for the last year had been
Go 900 900 tons larger than ever before A
differential OF one-fourth of cent pound
would enable the soft white sugars to COM
pete with the centrifugal refined
Mr.. Solon Humphreys OF New York. chair
man of a committee appointed by the sugar
trade, explained the difficulties OF an ad
valorem tariff on sugar and made a plea Tor
a specific system. The change. he said.
Ad yalorem valuations are unjust and i'm
practical on account of fluctuations In
prices. The sugar schedule had given the
Treasury department more trouble than any
other feature OF the tariff now in force IL
had been estimated by the department that =
II would yield a revenue of $43. .000, 900, but
for the last year the revenue had been less
than $50, 900 OOO and under existing condi-
tons II would not exceed S2l 900 for
the current year. Higher prices for raw
sugar would undoubtedly be the result OF
the schedule aslted Mr.. Murphy continued.
but tho advance would be so small II would
not be felt by the average family. a duty
beginning at three-fourths OF a cent at
10 degrees would yield 100000 revenue
Production OF sugar was now regulated by
consumton and no reduction In prices
could be expected tor several years. Speak
ing OF bountes Mr. Humphreys declared
they were a disorganlzing factor In tho
sugar business OF the world. The German
government recently had raised the bounty
TO something over ono-fourth OF cent a
pound which enabled Germany TO dispose
Of all her surplus product The system was
working ruin to all the British Islands, so
hat they must resort TO the same scheme or
go out OF the business. Instead Of one
tenth OF cent In bounty on sugar i'm
ported into this country the duty should