The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1897-08-13


NOT CONSIDERED IN THE ENAc--.ENT
OF THE WILSON LAW.
The Ding!ey Law More Than QIadrupl.s
the Benefits 10 tie Trust Derlvable f:om
the Wilson Law.
An Interesting Chapter of Tariff
Legislation.
published by Authority of the Maryland
Democratic Editors ASSociation.)
An honest presentation from the public rec
ords of the trae history Of the tax on sugar as
contained in the several tariff acts since tine
Sugar Trust has been factor in American
politics, cannot fail to be timely and valuable
information to the intelligent voters of Mary
and iand: The value and Importance OF this in
has been great perverSion of the truth upon
this, subject by certain newspapers in Mary:
land: This article will therefore be devoted
to that purpose.
ORIGIN OF THE SUGAR TRUST.
The Sugar Trust, like all the other trusts. has
come into existence since the close of the
as an American industry was practically uri,
developed. This trust is generally understood
to have owed its origin and organization TO
privileges it conferred on the sugar refining
industry, although it probably owed its con-
differentiaI duties in favor OF refined sugars
contained in the act OF 1883: which was dis
placed by the Mckinley law. The Sugar
eompacted organization after the Mckinley
law went into operation: but there are abund
hesive force to take care of its interests and
have them thoroughly protected by the
trainers of that law.
SUGAR TAX UNDER LAW OF 1883
the redundant revenues that had begun to pile
up in the Treasury as result of continued war
taxes, to which President Arthur had directed
P paD orometed BY the report of NJ Arthurs
Tariff Commission although not much regard
was paid to the report in the makeup OF the
the revenues, and it was strong manifesto
ton of the sectional discrimination of the Re
their protective benefits; for it has been shown
that nearly half of the diminutlon effected IN
the revenues came out OF raw cane sugars, the
ing this heavy cut in the duty upon raw sugar.
the sugar refining interests. which were then
exclusively and are still chiefly confined to the
Northern States. were carefully guarded and
preserved as will appear by the following
summary of the sugar schedule OF that act:
Raw sugar, not above IS Dutch standard,
4c-Ioo cents pound.
Refined sugar, from 13 to If Dutch standard,
Refined sugar, iron, If 10 Dutch standard.
3 cents poand.
Refined sugar. above 20 Dutch standard 5000
cents pound.
discriminating schedule and its large difercn-
tial III favor Of refined sugars. already suG-
eestcd, tine American refining interests beg
to combine to st;e competition inside the Tar
if walls, and thus was the Sugar Trust. like
the other numerous trusts. conceived in in
iGuty ; and 1 horn III 81 h. s ense Ten s the
Trust was sufficient ct an infant industry"
and enough Of ccmh:nation 10 sec that lts
interests were thoroughly 'pr9.cc.ed.
SUGAR TAX UNDER. THE MCKINLEY
LAW.
The Mckinley law, like its predecessor, was
predicated upon the necessity OF reducing the
revenue. Further pursuing the policy Of dis
eliminating against the South, It swept away
entirely the duty upon raw sugars, which were
allowed to come in free, but yielded to the stiff
demands OF the Western beet sugar producers
the trainers of the law afterwards substituted
bounty to be paid to American producers
But while the duty sugar was thus en-
tirely swept away and the American r, I .e
duty of $40 of cent pound was placed upon
refined sugar above 10 Dutch standard thus
giving the American TefneTS i clear Dcncnl OF
cent pound; 1t was under the special
privileges conferred by this law, already
stated, that the american Sugar Refining Com
came a visible. tangible corporation, and reap
ed its enormous profits.
SUGAR TAN UNDER THE WILSON LAW
The Wilson bill, when presented to, the
House by Mr.. Wilson, after several months of
careful consideration by the Ways and Means
Committee, of which he was the chairman re-
tanned sugar on the free list, continued the
bounty to domestic producers Tor designated
number of years, and reduced the Mckinley
duty refined sugar from IL cent pound
to IL; cent pound. In his report accompany
I'd session., Mr. Wilson said: On refined
sugars the duty is reduced onefali, tnat Is
of cent pound" Thus, it appears to have
impressed Mr.. Wilson and his conferees OF the
Ways and Means Committee that sugar Tetil-
cut its profits under Republican legislation III
half would be in conformity with the otn ,Isi
trust which controlled this branch OF indus
try had become better known to the people
than the other trusts They were also no doubt
largely influenced by the fact (Which subSe-
uuently played such an important part IN the
Senate in the consideration OF the same ,be t ;n3
moved machinery the Louisiana producers OF
cane sugar had become large competitors IN
the production of refined sugars and were ui!-
willing to surrender all OF the dlfferen'ial uu'E
ENDORSED BY PRESIDENT CLEN ELASD.
President Cleveland, in his message to that
session of Congress, strongly endorsed the
Wilson bill in the shape was PTesenseu ,n ny
Document, 1891
MR. WILSON DEFEAT ED In THE HOUSE.
But when the sugar schedule came up for
consideration in the House Mr.. Wilson was
defeated, and not only were his temporary
bounty provisions stricken out but the tax on
refined sugar was also swept away lea'lns
cording to the Baltimore Sun of July 23, 1s9+.
was effected by combination of "Repubiieana
a nnder rre the caption "A Second Defeat Of The
Ways and Means Committee" the sun hal The
following:
entire afternoon the Democrats OF the House CT
Representatives to-day made an emphatlc acl,
laration in opposition to the sugar bounty, i ad
voted not only to abolish II, but also 10 aho-
ish the duty on rehnea sugar
.'As the hour for vote arrived the Interest
began has there been SO large an attendance on
either side;
Chairman Wilson closed the debate with Is
characteristic ability. His words showed how
ever. that he felt the Ways and Means Com
inittee we're to suffer a second defeat. and he
contented himself with laying before the House
the reasons that had prompted the committee
TO recommend the gradual instead OF the mi
mediate abolition OF the sugar bounty,
Later, when Representative Warner, OF NG"
York offered an amendment abolishing the
present duty on refined sugar, the Republicans
Joined the free traders. and aided in declaring
sugar absolutely free, by vote OF I37 to s.
p1FFERENTIAL FURTHER REDUCED IN SENATE
When the Wilson bill came to the Senate
IFS deficiencies in revenue producing capacity
had become we'll known to its friends, and cs
pecially to the Secretary of the Treasury, and
among the measures for increasing its yield OF
revenue a tax of 40 per centun ad valorem on
raw sugar was readily agreed upon. But tie
Wilson dfferential on refined sugar was again
cut in half and fixed at I-S of cent pound.
or Just one-fourth OF the rate % the then exist
ing Mckinley law. Indeed such was the odun
Senators against the Sugar Trust. that no dit
ferental at all would have been allowed on the
refined article had it not been tor the tIrn
stand taken by the two Louisiana Senators
They demonstrated that through the use OF the
latest improved machinery over So per cent OF