Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1901-04-19
COAL MINERS DISCONS0LATE
EXPORT TAX WILL PRACTICALLY
STOP ALL THElh COAL SALES
ABROAD.
SUGAR GOES UP LIKE BALLOON.
The Hardest Tax to Bear, as it AZ
fects the Most People-Ireland's
Vigorous Protest.

London, April 19.-Taken as whole
the comments Of the country on the pro-
posals Of the chancellor of the exchequer
in the budget statement presented yes
terday, cannot he regarded as favor
able.
In commercial centers the export duty
is regarded as confirming the idea in
some radical quarters that the govern
ment Is riding for fall, but the well
informed consider it possible that the
chancellor of the exchequer will be in
duced to exempt from the new duty
all contracts made prior to to-day, thus
relieving the pressure on the middlemen
who have bought or sold coal for future
delivery. This, it is believed will go
far to reconcile the coal trade general
ly to the new imposition. Meanwhile,
however, the opposition Of the coal own
ers is augmentng hourly. The cham
bers of commerce in the coal districts
are protesting in vigorous terms. The
Cardiff exporters scent ruin and their
markets being captured by American and
German coal. The manufacturers on the
other hand fatter themselves that the
effect of the tax will be to lower prices
and lessen competition in iron and
steel.
docks was at a standstill to-day Mer-
chants refuse to ship and take the re-
sponsibility of the new tax while the
colliery owners repudiate any liability.
The Scotch exporters of coal are Of
the opinion that the United States is
bound to capture the West Indian coal
market
The ship owners Of Glasgow anticip-
ate that a portion of the duty will come
out of their pockets.
The grocers advanced suger a half
penny per pound this morning in Lon
don. British refined sugars We're very
strong and jumped two shilllngs to two
shillings and six pence hundred
weight.
The Scotch manufacturing confection-
ers and preserve makers advanced prices
four shillings and six pence and two
shillings and six pence per hundred
weight, respectively. The Scotch sugar
refiners have put on three shillngs to
four shillings and have abolished dis
counts.
There was practically no business to-
day on the grain or sugar exchange, ow-
ing to the extensive buying prior to the
budget announcements
The president Of the refiners' associa-
tion expresses the opinion that the tax
will work out beneticially. A steamer
with cargo of continental sugar ar
rived at Greenock last evening after the
customs house was closed and was re-
fused permission to unload. The duty
on her cargo amounts to $4,000. The
importers claim that the duty on sugar
had not been imposed when the steamer
arrived and therefore they will contest
payment Of the duty.
The budget had little general effect
on the stock exchange here to-day apart
of weakening consols, the price for them
being the lowest since 1892. There is rea-
son to believe that the best financial
circles approve of borrowing on con-
soils.
There is some expectation of the new
loan coming tomorrow. The market
talk suggests that the issue price will
be 94la and already dealings have oc-
Cured at 1a to premium. Comments
of the afternoon papers here follow the
lead OF the morning papers generally in
anticipating that the more acute irri-
tation will soon pass off.
The Irish newspapers condemn the in-
come tax feature Of the budget and they
think the sugar duty will press espe-
eral poverty of the pee pie. The Du. In
Independent remarks:
The imperial tax gatherer will there
by be enabled to draw out of Ireland
an additional half million for the South
African war, which, as a nation, we have
emphatically condemned"