The record-union., 1897-05-26

other sugars to free markets like Can
ada and England This policy would
undoubtedly increase the price of the
sugars from nearby countries and
necessarily add to the cost OF
sugar to consumers in the United
States. These are the reasons
which led your committee to sug-
gest an ad valorem rate of % per cent
on all sugars testing not above 81 de-
grees. But this rate can never apply
to but a very small portion of the
sugars of the world, as from obvious
causes the proportionate amount of
such sugars is constantly decreasing.
''Of the same sugars. testing 81 de-
grees very much the larger portions, as
l have already stated, are centrifugals
testing about 96 degrees. We We're
confronted with the fact that these
rates would discriminate in favor of
the sugars of certain localities and
values against those of others. The
committee after full consideration,
reached the conclusion that the essen
tial elements of a certainty of revenue
and an adjustment of rates that would
lessen determinations could best be Sc
cured by the adoption of compound
rates. The committee. therefore,
adopted the suggestion with is con-
tanned in the bill we have reported TO
the Senate of imposing a specific duty
which is equivalent to about 40 per cent
ad valorem, with an additional duty of
30 per cent ad valorem on all sugars
from 81 to 100 degrees, with 13-1OO of
cent per pound additional on all
sugars above No. 16 Dutch standard in
color and in refined sugars
More than 80 per cent of the sugar
which is imported into the United
States has heretofore been imported n
raw condition and has been refined
here, and it is, therefore, of import
ance that we should consider carefully
the effect which the schedule proposed
by the Senate committee would have
upon the refining industry. l assume
that it will be admitted in all quarters
that this industry is entitled to fair
treatment. The fact that the business
as conducted to-day is in comparatively
few hands and that a large portion of
it is carried on by one company while
it furnishes a reason for unusual care
in the adjustment of the rates in order
that no undue or unfair advantage
shall be given to sugar refiners should
on the preparation of tariff bill con-
structed upon protective lines for the
destruction of a great industry. In
other words, it is important from every
economic standpoint that we make it
possible that the refining of sugar can
be successfully carried on here, and
that the business should not be turned
over by legislative determinations to
German refiners.
1T is, therefore, incumbent on us TO
show that no protection is given the re-
fining interests by the proposed sched
ule beyond that which is adequate for
the continued existence of the business
in the United States. For this purpose
have prepared a series of statements
which I submit for your constellation
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 to which I
will call your attention shows the rates
imposed upon each grade of sugar
testing above 81 degrees by the House
bill and the Senate bill. 1t shows fur
ther the actual differential on each
grade in both the House and Senate
entail between raw and refined sugars
by the Senate proposition varies from
9.17 to 1910 cents per 100 pounds, while
the differential in the House bill varies
from 1920 to 1876 cents per 100
pounds 1t will be seen from an exami-
nation of this table that the differential
between graunlated sugar and 96 de-
gree centrifugals-this being by far the
most important class of raw sugars and |
in amount two-thirds of the total i'm
ports of raw cane-is 9.S1 cents per 100
pounds. On "a degree centrifugals the
differential is 10.S centals, on SO degree
Muscavadoes the differential is JAG.
In order to show that the committees
proposition does not give undue ad-
vantage to beet sugars as compared
with cane sugars, the following state
ment has been prepared by me to show
the differential between raw and re-
fined beet sugar in comparison with
the dfferential of the same sugars
based on the rates imposed by existing
laws
Dfferential rates on raw beet sugar
IS degree analysis, and on German
granulated:
Differ !
Refined Raw. entail