Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1897-06-11
FIFTY-FIFTH CONGRESS-.
WASHINGTON, June IL.
SENATE


sugar schedule in the Senate served to
swell the attendance considerably to-
day. Before the tariff bill WAS taken
up, Mr.. Harris, of Kansas, introduced
a resolution reciting the status OF affairs
relating to the Union Pacific railroad
and expressing the sense Of the Senate
that the Secretary of the Treasury
should take steps to pay of the liens
prior to those of the government and
then to operate the road, or if that was
not deemed expedient, to adopt fore
closure proceedings in the courts. II
went over.
The tariff bill was then taken up and
| Mr.. Allison hed moved to substitute
one cent and ninety-fve hundredths
cent per pound for one cent and eight
hundred and seventy-fve one thous-
andths as the rate on sugars above
number 16 Dutch standard.
Mr.. Jones had indicated furtht I
purpose but had not yet made the for.
NAL notice, to make the ditierential
rate / cent per pound.
Mr.. Turpie gave notice of an amend
ment to the internal revenue provisions
| placing tax of 2 per cent on estates OF
decedents when the inheritance
amounts to S. 900 or more, aud is not
for the benefit OF Il religious, charitable,
educational or like institution.
The question then reverted to the
committee amendment striking out
1875. 1000 and substituting 95 100. Mr..
Frye who was in the chair. stated the
question and vote was about to be
taken, Mr.. Jones asking for the yeas
and nays. Inquiries were made as to
what had become of Mr. Jones's amend
ment to make the differential !. He
explained that he had spoken of an
amendment but had not offered it and
had now determined not to offer it al
present. He preferred to have the
vote taken on the committee PROPOSE
ton and later, he said, he might pro-
/ pose this amendment.
AS the roll call was about to begin,
Mr.. Caffrey took the floor and read q
newspaper account Of the growth and
development of the sugar trust.
Mr.. Caffrey said one reliable expert
stated that the government figures
we're taken from the trust officials who
had exclusive control OF the informa-
4 ton and this expert asserted that the
estimates were far too high as to the
amount of raw sugar required to make
pound of refined sugar. The Senator
read a corrected statement showing
that on each grade of sugar the treasury
figures were several pounds in excess
Of the corrected figures. He said that
if this Juggling" offigures had occurred
:, by reason of taking the figures from the
trust, the entire calculation of the gov
eminent, and the committee calcula-
tons thereon, were not accurate.
The corrected figures were made by
B. w. Holt, and the Senator also read
statement from this authority on the
profits made by the refners. Mr.. Caffery
commented on the fact that the state
ment showed the labor item to be CON-
paratively insignificant in the refining
of sugar, being 1.56 per cent. without
the high salsred officials, and LIS per
cent. with those officials. Also that the
trust had made advance imports by
which, before this bill could pass, about
two billion pounds would be imported,
or half a years supply.
1.-THE sugar trust" said he, 'is the
only gigantic trust In the world which
rests entirely on legislation for its sup
port. 1t controls the cane sugar pro.
duct of the world and whenever it
thrusts its hand into the legislative hall
there was always faint, kind OF
mslodor arising from its efforts to get
legislation in its own behalf and if it
appears from reasonable showing that
what the trust asks is too much 1T
should be refused. The trust over
shadows the earth with its power. Ha-
wall, the West Indies, Egypt, Java,
and everywhere else that the trusts
ships touch it commands the price.
Are we going to accord this institution
further lease of power to raise and
control the price at its own sweet will
a caprice?" =,
Isl have stated and I repeat it again."
Continued Mr.. Gallery, his voice rising
until it fairly rang through the cham
Der, "that sugar is the ideal article for
democratic revenue duty. If it were
for protection I should not advocate
it," He tainted the republicans after
their experiment with sugar bounty
under the Mckinley Law for going back
to sugar for real revenue producing
duty. "And theD," said he, they have
the audacity to throw in our faces the
iusidious doctrine of protection"
He should not permit either his mo-
tives or his principles to be assaulted.
He repudiated with passionage dis
play of feeling the suggestion that he
had any personal interest in big sugar
concern in his State which bore his
name. He had never, he said, owned
single share OF that company and was
only in q very small way a sugar
planter.
"How much sugar dill you produce
last wear ?" asked Mr.. Platt.
about 100000 pounds" replied MIR.
Gallery, from farm of 500 acres: l
am the smallest planter in my parish,
but say to you that if all my fortunes
were involved in sugar duty l would
not support it except for revenue. A
public man who is confined within the
narrow limits of selfish interest is not
fit to hold seat in the United States
Senate"
Upon the conclusion of Mr.. Caffery's
remarks MIR. White took the floor and
arraigned the republicans for their ad-
yocacy of this sugar schedule.