The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-12-31
WASHINGTON

WASHINGTON. Dec. sa-The sugar
schedule zas the subject for hearing be-
fore the ways and means COMMITTEES today.
and 4 was the most interesting as wsi
a. the most important. schedule 20 far
considered. The conflicting Interests OF
the producers. reeners ard importers were
brought our iu sharp contrast. The pro-
ducers wanted higher duties al along the
tine. and the reaneFs pressed for higher
duties OF refResi and not so high on raw
sugar. They were especially anxious that
81 imposing c0untervailing duties against
export bounty countries. the additional duty
should De levied cnly against the refined
article. The importers. cane growers, the
refners and the beet growers were each
given an inning BY the committee
John FArr. Scion Humphreys and P. ].
Smith. all Of New York. represented the
importers: Col. ]. p. Hi. Of New Orleans.
represented the cane sugar growers: W.
j Mccain. Of Philadelphia. appeared for
the refners. ard Henry r. ONnard, Of
Grand Island. Neb. and Herbert Myrick,
the beet sugar interests.
Francis Thurber a New York mer-
chant. and ]. II. sypher OF this city.
Bishop Thomas r. Cutler. Of Utah, and
r. NJ Allen. OF Nebraska. also made argu-
ments. while Senator Perkins, of Califor-
MIA. submitted q printed brief.
Mr.. oxnard. president of the American
Beet Sugar Society. in behalf OF the In
austry. charged that the present tariff
not only failed 70 give protection 10 the
sugar ralsers. but discouraged the In
yestmeut % additional capital. It had
been predtcted that under the Mckinley
law the beet sugar industry would grow
rapidly. and three Tefinsries had been
buiFt In IN. administration OF that law
hut since then the change had deferred
new Investments. Any schedule on SUI
gar which had been In force since 1850. ex-
ccpt that OF the Wilson tarif. would per-
NIT the spread Of beet sugar growing.
Rect sugar could b. produced in twenty
states. and under proper tariff the
United States could In fifteen years raise
ali the sugar necessary for home con-
sumption. The beet Industry protested
against rates less than from - cents 20
sia cents 3 pound. Mr. Oxnard delivered
an argument IN favor Of a bounty and
proceeded 20 quote departmental reports
and other authorities % show that this
country had the climate and capital re-
CURED for the production OF It's own
sugar
Every other nation except Sweden which
cousd supply itself with sugar had taksr
every measurs TO 60 50. Cost Of labor. I'M
certainty as 20 the legislation. export
boufstles "a other countries, and decline IN
prices were all operating 10 keep capital
RfA@ 81 investment N ht&E sugar tier
many now pays q a2is and Ss.2 cents per 100
pounds export bouDties. according TO the
quality OF tho sugar. and could afford 10
sell sugar n New York al i3;a cents per 10
pounds less than American producers. and
occas-onaliy 70 sell surplus products below
fhe cost. Gsve Americans a reasonable
bounty. guaranteed TO continue for a rea-
Fonahle time. ard they would work Won
ders. The American was now obliged 20
ga.
EEvpi in the last fiscal year had sent
1,27.ao0 werth of sugar - the United
States ln British bottoms which carried no
return cargo. With war In Cuba and the
Philippines cutting or supplies from those
islands. Germany was cndeayoring 20 cap
ture the American market For reasons
supposedly commercial, congress had In
1876 iegisiated for free entry Of sugar from
Hawai- This treaty never met favor WI h
the pcople, had cost So. coo 0sa. ard bad not
greatly Increased our exports 10 that
country. Tvae estimated duties RENTED
by the United Seafee on Hawa an sugar
are tsi 0to 60 Mr Oxnard thought x was
unjust 10 encourage these importers al the
expense Of revenue and cur home pro-
ducers. lie urged the abrOgaton OF the
agreement
Spsa king ~ the conflicting interests fn-
vnlved IN giving adequate protection 10
the sugar growers he pointed 10 the sa-
Ear refiners. who bought and refined the
foreign product and % The niEers % Hour
and others who desired 20 use sugar in
Yecfpr0city agreements TO 0htaia couces-
sians for themselves The refncrs wanted
the lowest possible duty on raw and the
hlGhest on refined While. owing TO the
condition ~ the treasury Il might not be
feasible "a re-cn8ct the bounty scheme OF
lSee he thought the dual scheme proposed
hv the senate amendments - the Mills
bill IN lS>s which imposed q duty and also
save a bounty. waS entirely practicable
Mr. Oxnard took strong grounds against
any reciprocity lie Thought q faAi policy
tboth dafy and bounty would oe fair 70
all Interests aud }eorStra - none such
policy. he said would decrease ire reve-
nue. ont of which ths bounty could be
paid. AMI would encourage the sugar In
austry The s~heduis ne proposed was a
duty of / cent per pound on nj sugars
testing . degrees or less cents PER
hundred pounds additional fer each de-
gree between = aud @ degrees. and cents
FER hundred for every additional degree
betseen s. ard Ioc. wlth ane-four;n OF /
par cent. aiTereBftafs ON sugars above ls
pusch Standard. BE asked for the Mekin-
i-y auty en- mto5asses ans ~5unssry slIlnx
drtfrs against bounty ptytag countries on
both renned ard raw sugar The hounty
ne prorosF3 was three-Qu8ffe II g cent
per pound one-foarth 60 ~ aF a. fhe eaa
of esch sour years. ths "a aola bounty 20
-oase ln twelve years
~po yau tef5eEa tha; a bounty would
aa ue~snanaat asked Mr pavne "Yea
rtrs~Fabsr la 1854 you oopsse4 it on she
gra.sn.i shat So could 1904 be- made per-
maDent,
.sYcs.- rep.iea Nr 0xasri. 4 tAiak Il
N,t.ls D. permanent. bc1suse i believe the
Eatsahliran rarsv wl8 counsue Ga power "
WAY - asked Mr.. Wheeler Because
IL has restored prosperity
NJ. 0xuara ald nos reply 10 fhls nor 80
NJ payne when he sskst q be bes!sved
,bi. fseAuse - the facogragenea gfyea
ne Reoualican party ny the beet sugar
states ana ths close squeeze in tac sen
ate
Agr. Oxnara. in answer 20 questions fTosu
Nf,Nfgin. Sai5 that the Eastern and
v-astsrn rsanarses haa divided tire Amer
f..u markets between them ana agreed
ret 70 sufrtnge On each others teTrssary.
tR. slara4lan treaty helrsng thst agree
meat.
Scaator Perklas Of California egsse1ted
an Argafnent n gsVaT 90 the iz1E0slli5
~ = spsctac Tax o ~ eeats pound ga
t-r.partsz4 raw saesrs. lie showed teat ire
.,-s-saruptfan q imported sugar hy ths
1T~,s.A4 states is boat ] 1as 8. cons e year.
AL az watch. u pyoteCSa3. Re said. caa
~ proAueet ia a few yeArS "ttain car
t.,~5Is~s HEa showed ihaI tae ARA rfFs-
hte at pratuesnE treaf sa@Ar Naa ssss
s.-ts.t ~ snure tnan sappIF the asrn nassl
Fr~ fhs Ieutcss states a93 tnzt sas&T
bees ran Re raised 0a seiss rsnsias 81
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