New-York tribune., 1896-12-31
PRICE THREE CENTS.
THE SUGAR MEMS INNINGS.
A TARIFF HEARING OF EXCEEDING IN'
TEREsT AND IMPORTANCE.
ALL BRANCHES OF THE INDUSTRY REPRESENTED
BEFORE THE WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEE
VIEWS OF THE NETWORK TRADE PRE-
sENTED-wHAr THE CANE GROW
ERs AND BEET SUGAR
GBY TELEGRAPH TO rHr rRIBUSE.l
PEOPLE ASK.

PEOPLE ASK
[BY TELEGRAPH TO rHr rRIBUsE.I
Washington, Dec. 3O.-The hearing before the
Ways and Means Committee to-day on the sugar
schedule was an excee iingly interesting and
important one and the commttee-room was
crowded almost to the point OF sunocation
throughout the sitting. All branches OF the
sugar industry were represented. but no direct
representative OF the Sugar Trust. II one was
present, had anything to say. the refining inter-
ests being directly represented by W. J. Mccain.
OF Philadelphia, whose concern Is not member
OF the Trust. and indirectly by F. B. Thurber. OF
New-YOrk. who described his business as that OF
"a distributor OF sugar"
The importers were represented by Solon Hum
phreys John Farr and p J. Smith. all OF New
York. Mr.. Humphreys being chairman and Mr..
Farr a member Of a committee appointed at
recent meeting OF the sugar trade to submit It's
views in regard to tariff legislation on sugar.
At the meeting referred to II was unanimously
resolved that ad valorem duties on sugar were
unfair unreliable and dfncult IN practice" and
that specific rates ought to be substituted there
for. This view was strongly urged upon the
committee by Messrs Humphreys and Farr. who
gave cogent reasons 70 support their conten-
tons While they did not feel called upon TO in
sist on any particular rates they strongly recon-
mended schedule which would impose duty Of
one cent a pound or all sugars Of less than ~
degrees polariscopic test, with an additional
duty Of three cents a hundred for each additional
degree to 100 degrees. a differental duty OF one-
fourth of cent a pound on all sugars above
No 16 d. s.. and discriminating duty on all
sugars receiving the benefit Of foreign bountics,
the Executive TO be clothed with the discretion.
ary authority to alter the discriminating rate
as might be necessary TO meet changes in the
amount Of foreign bounties paid.
VIEWS OF NETWORK IMPORTERS.
Messrs Humphreys and Farr both insisted
that the importers did not desire any increase
anxious 70 have the rates made specific. Mr..
Humphreys declared the existing system was
unfair TO producers and importers, as well as to
the Government. which suffered loss OF revenue
by 1t. and that customs officials ready and
willing to testify that the difficulties Of admnis-
tration under it were very great
AS revenue producer, the sugar tariff had
by no means fulfilled the expectations OF the
trainers Of the Act Of 1894. They had estimated
the annual revenue Of about S43O000o0 yean
Last year 1t amounted to less than $50 900 000
and for the current year IL would not exceed
S21 900 600 or 500 100000. The schedule pro-
posed by the sugar trade, he said, would Yield,
the basis Of importation OF 800 900 tons
of dutiable sugar. which was a fair average. n
revenue of about $40 600 a year. II tho
rate began at three-quarters Of cent pound
OH sugars testing Is degrees the revenue woult
amour. to about S42.500.OO0 a year. The one
cent schedule. he admitted. would he likely to
increase the cost Of sugar 10 the consumer. but
the increase would he so small that 1t would not
be felt
Mr. Humphreys called The attention Of tn.
committee to the recent increase OF the export
bounty on sugar by Germany He urged that
the discriminating duties should be made equal
to the export bounties in all gases. and remarked
that the existing rate Of one-tenth of a cent a
pound was inadequate to protect against the
enhanced German bounties. The system OF ex-
port bounties. he declared. demoralizng all
sugar-producing countries and Threatened actual
and almost immediate ruin to the British ISL
ands
Mr. Farr called attention TO the remarkable
increase in the importation Of refined sugar.
chiefly from Germany. The importations for the
last year he said, were three times great as
In any previous year. Mr.. Farr. in response TO
questions by Mr.. Payne In regard to the opera
tons Of the American Sugar Refining Company
Nhe Sugar TrusD. said that It did not control
the market, but he admitted that its influence
had been TO depress the prices Of raw sugars.
not only in the United States but throughout
the world and remarked that the company al
ways stood ready to buy cargo OF sugar when
no other customer could be found, and so was
able to obtain it ION favorable terms"
THE CANE SUGAR INDUSTRY
The cane sugar growers and manufacturers Of
t.l ~
Hill, OF New Orleans. who is a practical sugar
grower and manufacturer. In behalf of that In.
dustry he urged the restoration OF the sugar du-
ties OF 1883. which afforded fair protection to all
branches OF the industry. The Act Of 1890 had
greatly stimulated the industry in Louisiana,
and the production in 1894 amounted to about
$50 600 tons Under the existing law the total
production in 1895 fell to about 100000 tons. II
the bounty provisions OF the Act OF 1880 had
been allowed to stand during the period specified
in that law. he had no doubt that at the end Of
the fifteen years every pound Of sugar consumed
in the United States would have been produced
In this country. Ii was only the apprehension
that the bounty legislation. IL re-enacted would
not be allowed to stand that led the members
OF the Cane Growers Association. which he rep
resented to prefer and recommend return to
the duties provided by the Act Of 1883. He esti.
mated that these rates would now yield rev.
enue Of $7OOO0.0OO TO $15000OOO year.
Colonel Hill desired the members Of the commit
tee to consider that the countries OF Continental
Europe almost without .ception impose pro.
hibitory duties on imported sugars while mum.
Der Of them pay high b)unties on sugars exported
to other countries. Germany, which now pro-
duces an annual surplus Of more than 100000
tons of beet sugar for export had recently In.
creased her export bounty. as had Austria. and
France was about TO do Countervailing du.
ties to protect American producers and manu-
facturers against these bounty paid sugars were
absolutely necessary. and the existing rate of
one-tenth OF a cent a pound wholly made.
Quate.