Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-05-26

free sugar. adopted in 1899. an impossi-
bility. The demand for revenue pur-
poses. and the belief that every reason
able effort should be made 10 encourage
the production OF beet sugar in the
United States. led a majority OF the FL
nance Committee TO recommend the high
rates upon sugar which are contained
in bin now before the Senate.
at is believed by the friends or the
beet-sugar industry that we can success
fully initiate the example OF Germany In
a rapid development Of beet-sugar pro-
duction.
THE RATES.
"The bill, as # came TO us from the
House Of Representatives, contained
provisions which levy a specific duty
based upon polariscopic test. upon i'm
ported sugar. varying from l cent per
pound at Is degrees, to 7-S cents per
pound on all sugars above No. 16 Dutch
standard In color, and refined sugars.
"The rates suggested show range of
ad valorem equivalents from 1872 TO Ai3
per cent. and bear very unequally upon
all low-grade sugars. The character and
extent Of this discrimination led your
committee TO believe that the schedule
should be modified. The committee de-
termned. after a careful examination
OF the whole subject. to recommend rates
which would be in their effect as nigh,
at least. as those Of the House bill. but
which would be levied i'm a manner that
would make the ad valorem equivalents
more uniform.
1--WE believe that the imposition OF
high specific rates upon low grade sugars
testing 81 degrees or below would have
the effect 10 exclude them from the
markets OF the United States. To ex-
cude from the American market all low
grade cane sugars from nearby coun-
tries and sugars of all grades from dis
tant countries. would confne American
purchasers to beet-sugar and to centri-
fugals from points nearest the United
States and send all other sugars TO free
markets. like Canada and England. This
policy would undoubtedly increase the
price OF sugars from nearby countries.
and necessarily add to the cost of sugar
TO consumers in the United states.
'The committee. after full considera-
ton. concluded that the essential ele-
ments of a certainty Of revenue and
an adjustment Of rates that would lessen
discrimination could best be secured by
the adoption OF compound rates The
committee. therefore. adopted the sug-
geston which is contained I'm the bill
we have reported to the Senate Of inn
posing a specific duty which is equiva-
lent to about 20 per centum az valorem.
with an additional duty of S5 per
centum ad valorem on all sugars from
n degrees to l0O degrees. with thirteen
hundfedths of a cent per pound addi-
uonal on all sugars above No 1G Dutch
standard in color. and on refined sugars"
THE SUGAR TRUST.
In reference to the Sugar Trust Mr..
4 4Lrt
part Of the refining business being con-
centrated I'm a few hands made II all
the more necessary that this business
should be inteligently dealt with. Every
one comedies. he said, that this business
should be fairly treated, and the protec-
ton afforded it by the Senate bill was
not only not excessive, but was at pres
ent barely sufficient to allow its meeting
the competition of Germanys refined su-
gars, which were now usurping the mar
kets of the world In little while, he
said, the protection to the American SUI
gar refners afforded in the present bill
would be wholly Inadequate and would
have to be increased.
HAWAIIAN RECIPROCITY.
Referring to the Hawaiian treaty the
Senator said THE committee will also
prepare and present an amendment to the
House provisions in regard to the Ha-
waiian treaty. The existing commercial
treaty between the United States and the |
government Of these islands provides for
the free admission Of raw sugars. the |
product of the islands, into the United !
states. If this treaty should remain IN
force II would result in giving al bounty !
TO the Hawaiian sugar-prOducers amount !
ing to more than SSOC0.Oo0 per annum. 1t
was not contemplated when the original
treaty was made. or when ii was extend |
ed. that any possible advantage of this !
kind could ever result from its terms TO
the people OF the Sandwich Islands
The effect of this bounty would un-
doubtedly be to stimulate enormously the
production Of sugar in the Hawaiian Is
LANDS. While we cannot fairly abrogate
treaty Of this kind with friendly
country without notice, we believe that |
negotiations should be at once entered
into looking TO such a modification of the |
treaty as Will reduce the bounty to be !
paid Hawaiian sugar-prOducers to rea- |
sonable sum, and the committee will pre-
sent an amendment looking in this dIrec-
tion at an early date.
There should be no difficulty I'm Sc
curing through the treaty-making power |
such notifications of the treaty as will
be satisfactory 10 both countries. with
l
be expected that the United States VIII !
continue for any length of time to pay a
bonus of seven or eight millions OF dol
lars per annum as an inducement to any
foreign country TO trade with us. / as
sumo there will be no difficulty IN Sc /
curing proper notifications of the treaty. |
so that it will not be necessary for the |
Government Of the United States TO give |
the one years notice of its abrogation, |
as provided for by its terms.
LEAF TOBACCO.
Returning 10 the schedules, Mr. Aid |
rich. said: I'm Schedule T. we have |
suggested a return 10 the rates imposed |
by the act of 1894 on leaf tobacco. This |
action is far from satisfactory TO the |
growers Of wrapper tobacco in the |
United States. There is a very wide dit
ference of opinion among those whose |
interests arc affected as to what rates |
should be imposed
'In the cotton schedule the rates. |
which are practically those Of 1924 have |
not been changed from the House |
schedules except in the paragraphs re- |
Iatng to hosiery. underwear. corduroy, |
and velveteens. On these the rates are |
somewhat lower than the House pro-
visions"
In conclusion, Mr.. Aldrlch said: "The |
also hopes before the bin |
passes from the consideration of the |
Senate. to be able TO present certain |
needed amendments to the customs ad-
ministration law.
"The industrial system OF the United |
States IS growing more and more COM
plex every year 1t is becoming more |
difficult every year to satisfy. In tarir |
revision. the conflicting claims Of Sec
tions: or TO so adjust rates as to 90 |
no injustice TO any Of the varied inte-
rests of this great country. The revision /