The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-12-31
MOST IMPORTANT INDUSTRY YET
HEARD BY THE HOUSE TAR
IFF COMMITTEE.
INTERESTS ARE AT ODDS.
SHARP CONFLICT BETWEEN THE
VARIOUS BRANCHES OF THE
TRADE DEVELOPED.
PRODUCERS ASK HIGHER DUTIES
of a Lower Tax on the Raw
Material.

WASHINGTON, Dec. S0.-The sugar
schedule was the subject Of the hear
ing before the ways and means COM
mittee today, and it was the most in
teresting as we'll as the most impor-
tant schedule so far considered. The
conflicting interests Of the producers,
ref1ners and importers were brought
out in sharp contrast. The producers
wanted higher duties all along the line,
and the refiners pressed for higher
duties on refined and not so high on
raw sugars. The latter were especially
anxious that in imposing countervail-
ing duties against export bounty coun-
tries, the additional duty should be
levied only against the refined article.
The importers, the cane growers, the
refiners and the beet growers were each
given hearings by the committee.
John Farr, Of New York; Scion Hum
phreys. of New York, and P. ]. Smith,
Of New York, represented the import
ers. Col. J. D. Hill, Of New Orleans,
represented the cane sugar growers:
w. j. Mccain, Of Philadelphia, the re-
finers, and Henry T. Oxnard, of Grand
Island, Neb, and Herbert Myrick, the
beet sugar interests. Francis T. Thur
Der, New York merchant, and J. H.
Sypher, Of this city; Bishop Thomas R.
Cutler, Utah, and r. M. Allen, of Ne
braska, also made arguments, while
Senator Perkins, of California, submit
ted tariff.
Ihe importers were heard first, John
Farr, OF New York, opening the argu-
meht. They recommended measures as
represented by Mr. Farr: First, on
all sugar testing, rs degrees, a duty of
l cent pound, adding cents per
degree to 100 degrees; second, an addi-
t1Qnal duty of about one-fourth of a
cent differential on all sugars above
16 Dutch standard in color, to prevent
refiners from entering refined sugars
at the same duty as raw sugars of
the same test; third, an additional dis
eliminating duty on all sugars only
from bounty paying countries with au-
thor1ty to the president to raise or
lower duties on goods from these coun-
tries, as the bounties were raised or
lowered. This scheme, the importers
estimate, would yield the government a
revenue of $5O,OOO00O per year, the
amount Of sugar paying duty being
about one and half million tons, the
average polariscope test being go de-
grees.
Col. J. D. Hill, Of New Orleans, rep
resenting the Cane Growers Associ-
alton of Louisiana, was the first to
speak for the producers. He spoke Of
the stimulation produced by the bounty
act of 1890. He produced figures to
show the reduction Of prices of refined
sugar under the act of 1883 at the times
when the crops were being marketed
to show the benefits to the country at
large from home competition.
Col. Hill laid special stress on the
dangers arising from the disposition of
all continental countries producing
sugar to give bounties. In reply to a
question by Mr.. Johnson, Of North Da-
kcta, Col. Hill expressed the opinion
that the protection asked by the cane
and beet sugar industry in the United
States could produce enough sugar to
supply the consumption Of this country
He further declared that he had not
, the slightest doubt If the bounty Of
1890 had been continued during the
term of years provided for, sugar grow
ers would have supplied the consump-
ton by the time the bounty period ex-
pired.
Henry T. Oxnard, Of Grand Island
Neb., president of the American Beet
Sugar society in behalf Of the indus
try, charged that the present tariff not
only failed to give protection to the
sugar raisers, but discouraged the in
yestment Of additional capital 1t had
been predicted that under the McKin-
ley law, the beet sugar industry would
grow rapidly and three refineries had
been built, but since then fear Of
change had deferred new investments
Any schedule on sugar which had been
in force since 1860, except that of the
Wilson law, would permit the spread
of beet sugar growing. Mr.. Oxnard
delivered an argument in favor of a
bounty, and proceeded to quote depart
mental reports and other authorities
to show that this country had soil,
climate, energy and capital requisite
to the production Of all it's own sugar.
He also argued in favor of the abroga-
ton Of the Hawaiian agreement The
estimated duties RENTED by the United
States on Hawaiian sugar are SCI, 000,-
000 He thought 1t was unjust to en-
courage these importations at the ex-
pense of revenue and our home pro-
ducers. He urged the abrogation Of
the agreement.
Mr.. Oxnard took grounds against
any reciprocity. He thought a dual
policy (both duty and bounty would
be fair to all interests and jeopardize
none. The schedule he proposed was a
duty Of 1 cent per pound on all sugars
testing 70 degrees or less; 3 cents per
hundred pounds additional for each de-
gree between rs and Sc degrees and 4
cents per 100 pounds for every addi-
the fourth of one per cent differential
on sugars above 16 Dutch standard He
asked for the Mckinley duty ON mo-
laSSes and contravailing duties against
bounty paying countries On both raw
and refined sugars. The bounty he
Pre- posed was three-fourths of a cent
per pound; one-fourth to go off at the
end of four years, the whole bounty to
cease in IL years.
do you believe that bounty would
be permanent" asked Mr. Payne
You remember in "a you opposed it
on the ground that it could not be made
permanent"
Eyes," replied Mr.. Oxnard, al think
it would be permanent because 1 be-
lieve the Republican party will con-
tinue in power"
"Why?" asked Mr.. Wheeler, Because
1t has restored prosperity"
Mr.. Oxnard did not reply to this nor
to Mr.. Payne when he asked facetiously
if he believed this because of the en-
couragement given the Republican