New-York tribune., 1902-04-21
RrET STGAR TACTICS.

The conduct of the beet sugar men ID Coh-
oress in making themselves an annex 10 ine
Democratic caucus would be more Important
and significant if it were sincere. 1t Wouiu iiIeh
indicate such widespread change OIL oplhiol
unon policy and practice as would nave 10 pe
-a,yon seriously into account, and might make
necessary q considerable realignment OF partles
throughout the nation. But the vote OF fiuas
unon Mr. Morris's amendment aDohshihs 'he
differential tariff rate upon refined sugar las ho
such meaning 1t is to be regarded parii! 1o "
protest against some features OF House nahase-
ment and partly and chiefly as a last desperate
attempt 10 defeat, or at least Indefinitely "
d.lav reciprocity with Cuba by provoking
conflict between the House ana the Hena'e' anu
Inv Involving the simple and direct issues of the
case with extraneous and irrelevant matieis.
From sueb a point of view it will be judged by
4to nation and will be dealt with by the Senate.
Unless all their protestations upon the SUD-
loot in the last four months have been insin-
cere. the beet sugar men Oh Friday vofed Ior
.be verv things which they do not want Ger
family they voted for the things against which
tbay have been most vigorously lnyelghinS.
rFhus thev have been opposing Il reduction OF
+,,a rate of protection afforded TO beet sugar,
hut on Friday they voted for far greater
reduction thereof than has been proposed by Inc
advocates of Cuban reciprocity Ihey hase
been opposing a revision OF the DlhGIes tafih'
vet on Friday they voted for a measure OF sueh
revision and for such a measure as might make
necessary further and more general revision
They have been plumiDg themselves upon pelhs
tl,e Simon pure protectionists and charging the
odvocatos of reciprocity and the supporters OF
tho administration with inclining toward free
trade VET on Friday they voted for what some
of their own loudest spokesmen call 1ree
trade measure In such circumstances to i'm
pute sincerity 10 them would he offensive 1t IS
si8ply inconeeiVable that they really want the
differentjal rate abolished. They voted for such
abolition not because they wanted IL. but simply
as a sharp parliamentary trick to defeat a less
Objectionable measure-just as Senator the
other day sought TO discredit the proposai Tor
nonrlar election of Senators by coupling with it
a scheme for the abolition Of equal State repre-
sentation in the Senate. OF course, we are
aware that most of them voted against the bill
on its final passage, but they had already
secured its adoption In its present form by join
ing with the Democrats TO fasten upon 1t the
amendments which it now carries.
The general question Of abolishing the differ
ential rate and of placing crude and refined
sugars upon the same tariff basis is irrelevant
TO the question Of Cuban reciprocity-as much
SO as some of the other issues which the beet
sugar insurgents voted TO exclude upon that
ground Nevertheless it is an important ques-
ton and one pertinent to the welfare OF the
nation: and since the beet sugar men have seen
fit TO raise it, a last desperate trick to defeat
the demands of national honor and national
interest. there is no reason why any should
shrink from meeting it. 1t may be that the
Republican party in the Senate and elsewhere
will take these oversharp insurgents" at their
word and in the language of the worldly, 'cali
their bluff If they want or pretend to want,
the special protection the sugar refining
industry abolished, the Senate may agree TO let
them have it so. They themselves are sugar
refiners If they can get along without the
protection of the differential we have no doubt
all other sugar refiners can do so. If the result
should be a lowering of the price Of sugar to
the public it would assuredly be popular If it
caused considerable distress to the beet sugar
men themselves, we hardly think the American
people would sit up o nights to sympathize with
them or TO help them out Of the pit which they
had dug for others. Rather would they pass by
with the apt reminder You would have it so,
George Dandint'
All phases of the matter are, Of course, to be
carefully considered, especially the effect which
abolition of the differential would have upon
the revenue. We do not want deficit in the
budget not even for the sake Of obliging the
beet sugar ring But it does not appear that a
deficit would thus be caused. If not, and if
as is logically to be concluded from the action
of the beet sugar men-the sugar refining indus
try in this country no longer needs protection, it
may be well for the Senate to consider seriously
the propriety of accepting this beet sugar chal-
lenge To do SO would probably injure nobody
unless it Were those who have made the chal-
lenge And If it should cause them to simmer a
little In their own refining pans, we know of
nothing in the constitution which requires us to
go out of the way 10 save greedy and selfish
monopolists from overreaching themselves.