Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1897-06-05

rates as applied TO the total lmporla-
tons at the port of New York for Janu
airy. 1897, is shown by a table which 1
submit to the mate which has been
prepared by the customs officers in New
York The rates suggested show a range
Of ad valorem equivalents from 1872 TO
l44.3 per cent.
Careful examination of the tables
will show the scale rates adopted bears
very ~uncqually upon all low grades OF
sugars. The character and extent or
the discrimination has led the commit
tee to believe the schedule should be
modified. The committee determined to
recommend rates which would be in
their effect as high at least as the house
bill, but which would be levied In a
manner that would make advalorem
equivalents more uniform. We believe
the imposition of high specific rates up
on low grade sugars would have the eff
feet to exclude them from the United
States. The total amount of these ow
grades produced Is unimportant as COM
pared with the total sugar crop, but they
have a continued importation into the
United States and are very important
when viewed from the standpoint of u
trade and commerce with other coun-
tries.
Cannot Exclude Low Grades.
ITO exclude from the American market
all low grade cane sugars from the
nearby countries and sugars OF all
grades from distant countries would
confine the American purchasers to beet
sugars and centrifugals from points
nearest the United States and ser all
other sugars to free markets like Cam
ada n England, This policy would
undoubtedly increase the price Of sugar
from nearby countries and necessarily
add to the cost OF uga to consumers
in the United States.
Compound Duties.
"These are reasonS which led your
committee to suggest an advalorem
rate of rs per cent on all sugars testing
not above 81 degrees. OF cane sugars
the testing above 81 degrees is very
much larger in proportion than centrifu-
gals, testing above SO degrees. The
committee in considering the question
whether they should add the specific
scale contained in the house schedule
for sugars testing above 81 degrees,
were confronted with the fact that these
rates would discriminate in favor of
sugars in certain localities and in
values against those of others. The
committee after consideration reached
the conclusion that the essential ele-
ments, the certainty of n adj
justment of rates that would lessen dis
ordinations could best be secured by
the adoption OF compound rates. The
committee, therefore, adopted the sug-
gestions which are confined in the bill
and we reported to the enate imposing
a specific duty, which is equivalent to
about 40 per centum advelorem with an
additional duty of 35 per centum adva-
loren on all sugars from 81 degrees to
100 degrees with thirteen hundredths of
n cent per pound additional on all SUI
CARS above No. 16 Dutch standard in
color and on refined sugars.
Protect Refiners.
More than 80 per cent Of the sugar
which is imported into the United States
has heretofore been imported in a raw
condition and refined here, and il is
therefore important that we should
consider carefully the effect which the
schedule proposed by the senate com
mittee would have upon the refining in.
dustry. The fact that the business as
conducted today is in comparatively few
hands inc that a large portion Of it is
carried on by one company, while it fur.
nishes reason for unusual care in ad.
justment of rates in order that no un.
fair advantage shall be given the sugar
refiners, should not be allowed to fur.
rs.h N nrafaEf In tha npanarafion nf a
tariff bill constructed upon protective
lines for the destruction of a great in,
dustry. In other words, the business
should not be turned over by legislative
determinations to the German %reflners
1t is therefore incumbent upon us tC
show that no protection is given the re-
filming interests by the proposed schedule
beyond hat which is adequate for the
continued existence OF the business IN
the United States. For this purpose
have prepared a series of statements
showing the actual difference between
the rates imposed by the schedule upon
raw sugars of different grades and re,
fined. The first of these tables shows
differential between raw and refined
sugars by the senate proposition which
varies from III to 1910 cents per 10t
pounds, while the differential in the
house bill varies from 1920 to 1876 cents
per 100 pounds. 1t will be seen that the
differential between granulated sugar
and 90 degrees centrifugals--thiS being
the most important class Of raw sugars
and in amount two-thirds of the tota
imports of raw cane-is 9.S7 cents pc
100 pounds; on "a degree centrifugal.
the differential is 1913 cents; on SO degre,
Muscavadoes the differential Is a.
cents. In order to show that the com
mittee's proposition does not give undue
advantage to beet sugars, as compared
with cane sugars, the following state
ment shows the differential between
raw and refined beet sugars in compari
son with the differential on cane sugars
based on the rates imposed by the exist
ing law:
"Differential rates on raw beet sugar
So degree analysis and IN German gran
ulated-
Re Differen
fined. Raw. tial.
Present law go. ..10i.50 1872 l4.9
Senate bill ........ 1886 so ISL. 703 14.79
Bounty Sugars.
Under the existing law German re
fined sugar receives thirty-eight hun
dredths of a cent per pound expor
bounty. The countervailing duty her,
is but one-tenth of a cent per pound
The German reflner therefore receives
net bounty OF twenty-eight hundredthi
Of a cent per pound. This enables hin
to sell his product at a less price thai
the American reflner has to pay for 9
degree c~entrifugals. 1t Is this kind o
competition which q driven the cam
sugar producers and refiners of tn,
world to the wall.
I'm the tables l submitted no allusiol
is made to the bounty provision con
tanned in both the senate and house pro
posals.. The adoption of these or SINH
lar provisions for countervailing duties
seems to be necessary If We are to de
velop the beet sugar industry in tn,
United States. Otherwise it will be pos
sible for any foreign country by it's ex
tension of bounties to neutralize entire
ly the effect of our protective duties. II
considering the important question
whether the differential proposed b.
either house or senate bill is create
than 1t should be we are bound to TAX,
into nnnGi1Ara tiAn tha aviatIn- aoNl