The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-05-15
THETALKABOUT SUGAR
Gossip About the Tariff Rate
and the Trust
MANY WAYS OF MAKING PROFITS.

WASHINGTON, May 1i.-[Spechl. Sugar
is now tho chief topic of conversation ut
the national capital. Will tho Sugar trust
be able to hold tho ADVANTAGE which il
gained in tho finance committb's revision
of tho tariff bill, or can it be compelled to
let go? This is the question: That the
trust has powerful friends in ito senate is
not to bo denied, but the men who wish to
reduce tho profits of that great sorporatiou
appear to lie in tho majority, add the ont
look is that they will carry thcslay. The
advantage which the trust COTS i, the sugar
schedule is not in tho amount of direct
duty levied 1t lies in what Isl called the
Observation-Disclosures, tho diffcrcnc between
the rate of duty on raw sugar Ind refined
sugar.
Under the present law this difference is
onc-cighth of cent IL pound and with
that slight advantage tho trust has been
able to continue paying - percent divi-
dends upon its watorod stock Besides the
ono-cighth of II cent nominal advlntanc in
the practical operation of tho Inv there is
another source of trust profits for it is
we'll known that with an nd vnlorcm rate
OF duty the shrcwd operators of tho trust
are able to import vast quantities of raw
sugar at undcrvaluations If o consign-
ment OF sugar is not valued properly, of
course the importer gains Just % much in
the amount OF duty paid and tic govern
mcnt loses tho revenue. For tits reason
the house in its bill made the duly specific.
That was the only way to cut OF the I'M
dervaluations. Tho senate comm ttcc, how
over, increases the amount of difcrcntinl
and also makes the duty both specific and
ad valoreIn.
Just what tho differcntial will figure
out in practice, if tho senate REVISION bo
1nado law, no one appears to know. The
experts do not agree. But the difference
between the duties on raw and refined s,l-
CARS cannot be less than three -ei glths of "a
cent u pound and some estimate i,as high
as fyecighths. Whatever IL IL, evidence
accumulatcs that tho figures made by tho
finance committee are practically what the
representatives OF tho trust asked for The
best guide tn tho value of tho proposed
rates OF duty to tho trust Ia found in this
fact and also i'll tho effect which the pub
lication OF the now schedule hid upon the
prico of sugar shares in Wall street.
Senatorial Speculation.
There has been a great deal of gossip
about senatorial speculation in sugar.
ithout doubt some senators did buy Sill
gar shares in Wall street and sold them
ont at Il profit. But it is not crimo for
senators to speculate in sugar There is
no law against it except tho law of pro-
pricty. l doubt il there has been much
speculation this year, perhaps not u tenth
part OF what there was when the Wilson
bill was revised in the senate three years
ago. The scandal created by that orgic of
speculation inculcatod in senator's minds
II wholesome fear of public opinion There
Is talk of II senatorial Investigation con
corning the charges of speculation, bus il
Is generally doubted if the senate will
notice the matter i'll any official way
III addition To the fayora bic rates of duty
III the sugar schedule the trust was ablc to
WORK into the finance committees revision
al the bill clause abrogating certain
parts of the treaty between this country
and Hawaii. Under the treaty sugar grown
i'll the Hawaiian islands is admitted to the
United States FREQ of duty. Inasmuch rs
about all the product of the islands is tax
en- by the Spreckcls and other Pacific coast
rcilncrics, rivals of the New York concern,
the latter wanted TO compel Hawaiian
sugars 10 pay duty on importation 10 this
country. If they could succeed in push-
ing this abrogation of the vital rart of
the treaty through congress, the eastern
trust would consider that it had made u
big stroke. But tho sentiment in congress
is decidedly against this preceding
Sugar From Germany.
One argument used by the Sugar trust
people is that whilc they may have been
largely in control of the market for some
years past the price of sugar 20 consumers
has gone steadily downward. In support
of this they quote the following prices of
refined sugars for the years named: In
1879, SIS cents; i'll 1889, $50; III 1896,
3D. and HOW, 4. 10. While these G,,ures
ARC no doubt substantially correct sugar
experts tell me tho reduction in price is
duo wholly TO the competition OF German
sugar growers and not To- any desire on the
part OF the trust TO make This article of
household necessity cheaper for the people.
In recent years the production of beet sugar
III Europe has increased more than 3. 600,
600 tons, ana this vast output has had to
lind market. Germany, France and
Austria now pay an export bounty on sug-
ar, and he price of sugar in this country
is really regulated in Europe, not by tho
Sugar trust in New York. Ii 1t were NOT
FOR tho trust. ne ono doubts that sugar
would DC cheaper than 1t is in our markets
Beet Sugar.
Just at this time sugar appears to bo a
leading topic OF consideration in al branch
cS OF the government. Congress has a war
over the schedules on its hands, and the
agricultural department. is trying To intro
ducc the growing of beet sugar among our
farmers on a large scale. Secretary Wilson
has sent out beet sugar seeds to about 20.
900 farmers, and he is now following this
m hy uniting in the field rxuert. ,,.b,e,,
duty IL is to gather facts which may Guido
capitalists in locating beet sugar factories.
Practically all of the farming region in the
great middle TART OF the country. from
Alabama northward, is believed to hcaynil-
able for growing beet sugar. Secretary
Wilson, who is u hard headed. practical