The Weekly Tallahasseean., 1901-11-22
WANT FREE SUGAR
That is, the Trusts Want The
Duty Taken Of
BABCOCKS STOLEN MEASURE
.1he Hay-Pauncefote Treaty Has at
Last Been Signed.

washington, Nov. 21.@Sugar will
play a tremendous part in the delibera-
lions Of Congress at the coming ses-
sion. The problem is really a very COM
plcated one. First, there are our own
Growers to be considered; urged on by
the Agricultural Department, farmers
IN many sections have devoted their
attention to raising sugar beets ana
to building factories to extract the
Saccharine matter from them; any at
tempt to reduce the duty on sugar will
undoubtedly meet with vigorous op.
position from these. Next is the sugar
trust, which is willing to have raw
sugar free but wants tax on the re-
lined product so as to enable it to make
an abnormal profit; it is now engaged
in war with the beet sugar men to
make them sell their refined sugar at a
price fixed by itself. Third, are the in
tereStS of the Hawaiians. Fourth, is
Cuba, to which free entry of her sugar
into the United States is a vital con!i
dition to prosperity. There are really
so many wheels within wheels in the
sugar conflict that keen oberver will
possibly be nonplussed for awhile to
get facts, and there is grave danger of
a scandal similar to that of some years
ago when several Senators were con-
victed morally of guilt in specializing
in sugar stocks and were strongly susl
pected of yet more reprehensibie pracs
ticeS.
Representative Babcock, of WiscOn-
sin, is in town, pluckily upholding the
tariff measure he stole from the DEMO-
Gratis last session, and has since beeb
attempting to force on his own party
with no appreciable results. "My ideb
as to tariff revisions is simple" he said
-'It is this: Where by changed condf
tons tariff duties have become exorbit
ant, far beyond the needs of protection,
/ would put them where they woulh
amply protect labor, but not to point
that would create monopoly of trade
and raise prices to consumers. In otheF
words, If an article cost 81 to be pro-
duced abroad and $1.40 to be produced
in this country, would favor so per
cent duty, to protect ourselves; but
not 200 per cent which would simply
afford a margin for increasing the price
to our own consumers. There is no de-
parture from Republican protective
tariff principles in that. l reassert that
/ am as ardent an advocate Of the Re-
publican doctrine of protection to
American industries as there is in this
country The question this Congress
will be called upon to answer is, Will
it permit a tariff duty to remain in
force, to enable trust to pay dividends
on watered stock?" This is the question
that the Democrats have been asking
for loi these many years, only to be
overbOrne by the money that the pro-
tected trusts have been able to muster
to their defense. Mr.. BabcOck means
well and if he and his half dozen sup,
porters would join hands with the
Democrats they might force action. No
one doubts, however, that when Il
comes to showdown they will yield
to their caucas rule and vote to main
tain the tariff unchanged.
The accession of Senator Cullom Ii
the head of the Foreign Relations Com.
mittee of the Senate brings Steve Elk-
ins, of West Virginia, to the head Ql
Interstate Commerce and renders aboIl
tive all efforts to strengthen the inter
state commerce law or to repair tfy
holes punched in it by the unfriendls
court decisions. What is needed, is at
amendment to the laws which will giVt
the commission power to say, after al
investigation, that rate is too high
and to fix a lower rate, which the rail
roads must put into effect and continue
operative until the courts have an OTt
pOrtunity to pass on the question. UI-
der the present circumstances it is i'm
possible to regulate these matters. Il
the commission decides a rate is ex,
Orbitant the road may reduce the rate
half cent. If the commission is moi
satisfied with this small cut, it must
take them after into court. If the com.
mission is sustained, the railroad ther
makes another small reduction. In the
course of a lifetime the rate by this
means would be reduced to a reason,
able point. If the amendment suggest.
ed should be adopted, a prescribed rate
would become effective at once. Dis,
examinations in rates are fragrant anG
of common occurrence, but it is diff.
cult to prosecute the railroads on &C
count Of the provision in the consti
tuition which gives person immunity
from incriminating himself. If Senator
Cullom had remained at the head of th,
committee, the reform elements woulC
have predominated; but when he yield.
to Elkins, who is a railroad man, tn,
railroad interest gets into the ascend
ancy. g.
The Hay-Pauncefote treaty ha,
been signed. It will go down il