The times., 1897-03-20
Corner 18th and F Streets.

which have been largely used for cloth
ing purposes, and whose use for purpos,
not intended by the old classification, hal
caused much irritation among w woogrowers
have been transferred from third-class tc
first-class woods; and the exclusively az
vaiorem duties which have been previouslS
given the manufacturer as q protection
against his foreign competitor, employing
cheaper labor, and which enabled the latter
by under-valuation of the wide variety
OF imported woolens, whose value could
not be definitely determined, to avoid
a large part of the duty appearing on the
face of the tariff, have been converted as
largely as possible into specifics equivalent
to whatever the present law Processes to
give.
We believe that the enactment OF this
schedule into law will not only restore tC
our farmers the woolgro wing industry.
which has been so seriously in jured by free
wool-our flocks having diminished more
than one-fourth since lS92-but will also
revive the wool-nanufacturing industry,
which has been so greatly crippled by the
tariff OF 1894, and the loss OF the purcha g
ing power of the masses OF our people
through lack OF employment, and will at
the same time largely ncrea Sc the revenue
J frotn that source, which. because OF the
character of the fine goods imported under
| the tariff of 1890, was practically derived
! from luXuries.
| Increase of the Duty on Sugar.
We have increased the duty on sugar
| from the 40 per cent ad vaiorem imposed
by the present tariff on raw sugars now
| only nine-tenths OF l cent per pound on
| raw sugars polariZing SO degrees on ac-
| count OF the decline of sugars, although
about Ia cents when the tariff was en-
| acted in lSe4l to 1.63 cents, with
| countervaiing duty on all sugars eQuiva-
| lent TO the net export bounty paid by ans
| country in order TO increase our revenues
| and at the same time afford sufficient
| protection to enable our own farmers and
| planters to ultimately produce whatever
sugar we may require for consumption.
| The production OF cane sugar is large
and, under proper protection. n growing
| industry now
The production of beet sugar in at least
twenty-three States of our Union, which
only seven years ago was regarded as of
doubtful promise, is no longer an expert.
ment, but a demonstrated success, with
such protection as we recommend, which
is less than those bounties given at the
inception of sugar production by Germany,
France and European countries, which
now produce about two-thirds of the
worlds sugar.
The time has come when every effort
should be made to open up new crops
to our farmers and thus diversity and
promote our agriculture; and no crop in
sight affords more hope of success or
greater advantage to the whole country.
Even with the present low prices of sugar
we paid in the last fiscal year to foreign
countries about S73,000,0 600 for our raw
sugar, in addition to over 81 ,000 900
paid to the Sandwich Islands for sugars
imported free of duty under our treaty
of reciprocity with that country, and in
the near future this sum will rise to
100000, 900. To open up such a new
and valuable crop to our farmers (who are
finding the competition of Russia and
Argentine wheat serious drawback, is
a boon which Congress should not hesi-
tate to give, especially at time when
it can be done in the interest OF revenue.
We have made the duty on refined sugar
above No. l 6 in color oneeghth of one cent
per pound additional to that imposed on
raw sugar of the same saccharine strength,
as a protection to the refined Industry in
this country. While this is less than the
differental given by the present law lone
eighth of one cent and aboN one-fifth OF
one cent carried in the all-roGnd 40 per
cent ad valorem duty, yet from. the most
careful investigation we ca make, we be- |
lieve this reduced differential will maintain |
the refining industry in this country, espe |
cially in connection with the countervail |
ing duty on export bounty countries.
Our experience, under the tariff of 1SS3, |
with specific duties on sugar, and under |
the present tariff, with ad valorem duties, |
has convinced us, as it has the administra- |
tors of the law and the sugar trade gen. |
erally-although refiners dissent from this |
view-that specific duties are preferable, |
more easily and certainly administered, |
and absolutely essential to reliable revenue.
When the tariff of 1894 was enacted, it |
was estimated that the 40 per cent duty |
on sugar would yield $42, 100000 Of |
revenue. In consequence, however, OF the
decline of price the revenue from sugar
in the last fiscal year was only about
S29, 500, 900, and the present fiscal year
1T will probably not exceed S2T, 100000. |,
We have therefore adopted the specific
policy of the act of 1888, starting at i
cent per pound with sugar polarizing 75
degrees but increasing only three-hun-
dredths of / cent per pound, and proper
tionately for fractions Of degree to
accord with the present prices of sugar,
which would make the duty on unrefined
sugar polarizing 100 degrees, or of full
saccharine strength, 3-4 cents, and when
refined 1875 cents per pound.
Range of Duties Proposed.
In revising the several dutiable sched-
ules as rule the duties have been fixed
1t tpointsbetweenthe tarffof $50 and the
present tariff, it having been found that
on account of changed conditions in a
large part of the articles, duties lower
than those of 1890 would be equally pro-
tective
The metal and cotton schedules are in
arge part the same as in the present tariff.
,he increases above those rates being in
.he more advanced articles. The agri-
cultural, earthenware and glass, and the
silk, Iiauor and wool and woolens sched-
ules are substantially the same as in the
Tariff of 1890, the duties on fruit having
been increased. The manufactured lumber !
which was put on the free list by the tariff