The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-05-26

| policy is to give the American market 20
| American producers. When this be-
comes an accomplished fact the revenue
growing out of protective duties disap-
| pears 1t must be evident, therefore,
| that we must look for other sources of
revenue. Whether it should be along
the line of an increase of internal reve-
nue. taxes. such as we have suggested.
or whether some other source Of revenue
should be sought, IL is not necessary
| now TO determine.
| 1T is safe 70 assume that numerous
! DIRECTORS will always be found TO any
plan for increased taxation. In this
| particular case, the committee is only
strenuous that a wise public policy re-
| Quires that our revenues should al all
times be equal to our expenditures and
| that the people Of the United States will
not be satisfied with any revenue mea-
sure that does not provide adequate in
come for this purpose.
THE SUGAR SCHEDULE.
'In the sugar schedule E, we have
suggested a change in rates and in the
| manner Of assessing the duties. As the
schedule is a very important one, II
seems proper that I should explain def
nitely the effect Of the provisions we
recommend.
The annual consumption OF sugar IN
| the United States is about 100000 gross
tons of 2,240 pounds each, with value
| based on freight prices approximating
| $50. 900, 0oe If the high duties proposed
in either the house or senate bill should
be adopted, the annual cost Of sugar 70
| consumers would De more than s160,Oo9,-
0GO OF the consumption OF 1896. 10000
tons, or per cent, were beet sugar pro-
duced in the United States, and AO,0oo
tons, or II per cent, were domestic cane
sugars, and 157,000 tons, or per cent,
we're sugars admitted from the Hawa-
ian Islands free Of duty under our
treaty with the Hawaiian government.
The 1000, 900 tons Of sugar consumed IN
the United States constitute nearly 30
per cent Of the total consumption of the
world, the total sugar crop of 1895 being
approximately 100000 TONS, OF which
4. zoe. 900 tons, or about 81 ID per cent OF
the whole, were beet sugars.
BEET SUGAR AT HOME.
THE pressing necessity for securing
greatly increased revenues seems 10
render a return to a Republican policy
OF free sugar adopted in 1890 an inpos-
sibility. The demand for revenue pur-
poses. and the belief that every reason
able effort should be made 10 encourage
the protection Of beet sugar in the Unit
ed States, led majority OF the hnance
committee to recommend the high rates
upon sugar which are contained IN the
bill now before the seH~-e.
cit is believed by the friends or the
beet sugar industry that we can success
fully initiate the example of Germany in
the rapid development Of beet sugar
production.
RATES EQUALdEZD.
"The bill, as IL come 10 us from the
house Of representatives, contains pro-
visions which levy a specific duty, bas-
ed upon polariscopic test, upon import
ed sugar, varying from / cent per pound
at 20 degrees, TO rs cents per pound
on all sugars above No. 16 Dutch stand
effect of these rates, as applied to the
total importations at the port Of New
York for the month Of January, 1897, Is
shown by table which I submit TO the
senate. which has been prepared by the
customs officers in New York. The rates
suggested show a range of ad valorem
equivalents from 7S.2 70 1H.3 per cent. A
careful examination OF the tables will
show that the scale OF rates adopted
bears very uneQuaIly on all iow-grade
sugars. The character and extent of
this discrimination led your committee
TO believe that the schedule should be
modified.
The committee determined, after a
careful examination OF the whole subject
70 recommend rates which would be in
their effect as high al least as the house
bill. hut which should be levied in
manner that would make the ad valorern
equivalents more uniform. We believe
tina, the imposition of the high specific
rates upon low-grade sugars testing S.
degrees or below would have the effect
70 exclude them from the markets OF the
United States. The total amount OF
these low-grades produced is as I have
already stated. unimportant as comnsrei
Win the total sugar crop. but their con-
tinued importation into the United States
Ia very important, When viewed from the
standpoint ot our trade and commerce
with other countries.
TO exclude from the American mar
ket all the low-grade cane sugars from
No Nx-
sra1es from distant countries would con-
fine American purchasers to beet sugar
and 20 csn-r.fugsls from points aesres;
me United States. and ssnd all other s;,-
g2rs 70 free markets like Canada sns
Eaisllnd. This policy would unFoubtAt5-
II increase the price OF the sugars from,
naaFy-5y countries and necessarily adj q,
Tie cost % sugar 20 consumers in the
Un.t2d States. These are the reasons
WiEca led this committee 10 suggest sn
al Nalo-en rate 81 IS per cent on all
sugars testing not above 81 degrees But
THIS rate can never apply to but very
small portion Of The sugars OF ne
world. as. from obvious causes. tie p-o-
pof'oIiaie amount 81 such sugars IS con-
siantN decreasing.
COMPOUND RATE ADOPTED.
" The same sugars testing above &
degrees. very much me larger portions
as / have already sisee5. are centri.,-
gals testing from es degrees We wee
confronted with sHe fact that shesa rates
would discriminate n favor OF The 81
gsrs az certain localities and values.
agains. those az others. The Committee.
afseT fGil consideration, reached the con-
eiasion thai the essential elements 0. a
certainty q revenue and an adjustment,
OF rates shst woJ;ld lessen discriaina-
;ioEs could best De secured blythe adop-
tor OF compound rates. TIE comm stea.