The Portland daily press., 1897-05-26

the House or Senate bill is greater than
it should be, we are bound in fairness to
take into consideration existing con-
ditions and the changes which have taken
place since the enactment of the act of
1894. When that act was under discussion
in the Senate the difference in the foreign
value of German granulated and raw
beets, IS per cent analysis, was fifty seven
hundredths Of d cent, per. pound. In
March the difference was thirty three
hundredths of a. cent per pound. The
lmportations of refined sugars into the
United States amounting IN 1881 to GOO,
600 pounds, and in 1892 to 14,00J,000
pounds. The importations i'll 1896
amounted to 1877 ZOO, 900 pounds, while the
1mportations in the single months of
April, 1897, amounted to nearly ~, COO, 900
pounds. German refners have driven the
sugar refining industry of Great Britain
almost entirely out OF existence. They
are, as have already stated, invading
every sugar market of the world 4 with
their product. Most of the German granu-
lated imported is the result of a continu-
gus process of refining. For months raw
peeg sugar and German graduated have
soie on an absolute parity OF value,
taxing into account the percentages of
pure sugar contained in each. If we as
sumo The cost of refining sugar in the
United States to be approximately one
lined can be sold without loss on the
same basis with Germany raws it must
pc evident that the differentials suggested
IN tne Senate proposition are not only ex-
cesslVe, but they are quite likely in the
near future to prove inadequate to secure
the continuance of the business of sugar
refining in the United States. If the i'm
portations of German granulated should
increase at the same ratio that they have
since the act of 1894 was adopted the Ger
mans will certainly secure at an early
day large part Of the American MARKET
The production afforded by the differ
ential proposed to the Senate committee,
is, l. believe, not only less by percentage
but less with reference to the actual re-
quirements of the industry that afforded
by the rates imposed upon any other inn
portant products by the terms of that bill.
Important changes have been made in
schedule e, both on the rates on wool;
and on manufactured woolens. In deal
ing with the wool schedule the commit
tee have suggested more liberal rates to
the domestic wool grower than it has re-
commended for the producer of any man
ufactured article in the schedule. 1t has
also suggested for him a more effective
protection than he has ever received
under tariff law of the United States at
the time of its enactment. The wool
grower is given the benefit of a specific
duty upon all classes of wool. Under the
operation of this fixed specific duty, the
amount of protection afforded will in
crease with each new decline in the for
eign value of this raw material.
The committee has aimed to give. the
wool growers a rate of duty which will
average from 1dt per cent to 20 per cent
higher than the rates of earlier tariffs.
! In doing this it has given higher pro
lection upon the raw material than upon
the manufactured product in every case
Many changes are made in schedulegN.
/ The one which will attract the most att
tention. is the placing of duty on hides of
cattle. Representa- of Western States
in which cattle are raised have been for
many years insisting that duty on hides
should find place in a tariff Bill which
was intended to protect all American in
terests. This contention, has been resisted
by the tanners of the country who be
lieve that it would place unnecessary
burden upon their important industry.
l shall not attem t to enter in detail
into the reasons which led the committee
to suggest the imposition of the duty
Speaking for myself,5I believe that the
fears which have been so emphatically
expressed as to the furious effects of the
duty have been largely over-estiniated,
and that no very serious burden will be
pldCtd upOu SluitcE bitt UdIHiu2J the tSfttH-
er or the boot. aneES shoe industry III the
| amendment should be adopted. "
In conclusion, Mr.. Aldrich said: f'The
| industrial system of the United States
| is growing more and more complex every
year. 1t is becoming more difficult every
year to satisfy in tariff revision con-
| fiicting claims of sections or to so ADJUST
rates as to do no injury to any of the
varied interests of this great country.
The revision of paragraphs and rates
recommended by the committee are I'M
doubtedly far from satisfactory in many
cases to interested parties. The amend
ments recorded represent the consensus Of
opinion of a majority of the members of
the committee, We have no ,priae. If pRin-
| ion or authorship in regard to any QfIthe
provisions reported. We have given 4are-
full consideration to the numer55hetss i'm
portant questions involved in the talibrts
schedules. We present to the Senate the
result of our laborsssand shall cheeEfully
accept your Judgment as to the wisdom
of our conclusions. sR
T. =