Evening star., 1902-01-09
LOWER SUGAR DUTIES
Senator Dietrich Thinks Few Cubans
Would Be Benefited.
WOULD Be IN FAVOR OF A REBATE
Attitude on the Subject of Other
Western Congressmen.
PROTECT HOME PRODUCERS

Senator Dietrich OF Nebraska when asked
! today for an expression on the question Of
| the United States aiding the Cuban gov
| ernment by reduction Of tariff on tobacco
and sugars or rebate to sugar and tobacco
| planters said:
] There is strong sentiment being work
| ed up by the sugar trust and Cuban to-
bacco interests that in order to aid Cuba
We should make large reduction upon
raw sugar and tobacco. So far as aiding
Cuba is concerned. it seems to me that the
! United States government has been most
generous to Cuba, and, under the Platt
| amendment, has practically placed at the
| disposal OF Cuba our army and our navy,
We in that amendment having agreed TO put
down any instructions and to protect Cuba
| against any foreign powers. This, natural
| ly, compels the United States government
to consider the extra charge in keeping up
the standard of our army and our navy.
Few Would Reap BENEFIT.
"As to benefiting Cuba by making a mate
| rial reduction upon raw sugar my opinion
| is that the sugar trust and few planters
| will reap the benefit, rather than the Gu
| ban people a whole. Some are advo-
| eating that rebate should be given TO the
| Cuban planters upon the sugars imported
y. 4
cause the rebate would find Its way into
| the hands of the sugar trust. which will
greatly aid IL to destroy the beet sugar in
dustry OF this country. The trust has been
| undertaking TO do this the past season by
| selling sugar in the localities where the
| beet sugar industry is now established at
| prices way below the cost of production.
THE cost of producing the raw sugars,
compared with the refined product. is W
per cent, or, in other words. in selling 500
| worth of refined sugar, sB of that is for
| the raw material and only s. for the
filming. / am favorable to the proposition
| to make rebate upon sugars and tobaccos
| from Cuba, whether 1t be - or 80 per cent,
| but insist that it shall be turned over to
the Cuban government, TO be used by IL.
| and not turned over to the planters, as is
| being advocated by some. I desire to he
| understood as meaning that the rebate
must apply to all kind of sugar, including
| the refined product.
| An Injustice to Home Producers.
"A rebate given to the planters of Cuba
would not only be an injustice to the grow
ers of sugar and tobacco of this country.
but would wage an injustice to all other
nations producing sugars and tobacco with
which are trading. 1t would certainly
be resented by such nations.
| by turning this rebate into the Cuban
| treasury the people of that island will take
| the responsibility for its expenditure. and IL
| they deem II wise to directly aid the grow
ers Of tobacco and sugar, they can do
Now that Cuba is an independent nation, L
| hold that the United States have no right to
pay either bounty or rebate to any of the
| particular industries of that country"
Mr. Dietrich's state is where the first
| beet sugar factories were built. He has
given the question great deal of study, not
| only in the United States, but in foreign
countries, where beet sugar is produced. AS
| long ago as 1890 Senator Dietrich went
| abroad to acquaint himself with conditions
| pertaining to the industry.
To Defend Sugar.
Several western state delegations in the
/ House are preparing to take the defensive
against possible threatened inroads OF for
| eign sugar producers upon the American
| beet sugar industry. Their present efforts
! are more in the nature Of throwing out a
| picket line. preparatory to skirmish. They
| don't want to "holler before they are hurt"
| but are ready to make a loud outcry If nee
| esSary.
| Michigan and California are taking the
| initiative these states being more extern
sively interested in beet sugar growing than
| others. and Wisconsin, Nebraska and Kan
sas will probably join forces. Thus fer.
the disposition seems to be to merely give
| notice that they are here to protect the in
terests Of their constituents, IL they should
| be threatened. 1t Is not yet made clear
that a reduction OF the Cuban sugar tarin
| will harm the beet growers. There are con-
| ficting claims upon this point, which will
| be settled by the ways and means commit
| tee as a result of the hearings the sub
! ject soon to commence.
| 1t is not to be supposed ii is said. that
| the ways and means committee. with it's
| present pronounced pro-protection makeup,
| will recommend legislation likely TO harm
| any protected industry OF this country.
| Some of the rock-ribbed protectionsts OF
| that committee are now of opinion that
| reduction of tariff on Cuban sugar may be
| made without disadvantage to any one, but
| on the contrary for the general welfare.
| The attitude of the western delegations
! is not, therefore, construed to threaten r.
split within the republican ranks The de-
cision reached by the ways and means
| committee is expected to be based upon
| sound principles Of public policy likely to
receive the Endorsement of the western
| delegations, and easily explainable to their
constituents.
| The Michigan delegation. at a meeting
| held late yesterday afternoon, adopted the
| following resolution:
THAT we, the Michigan members Of the
| House OF Representatives of the United
States Congress, unitedly best en-
| deayors q sustain the sugar beet industry
| In 'Michi&Ap and throughout the United
| States, and lthat will resist any attempt
| caleulate4rto injure this industry"
| Contested Election Cases.
| House elections committee No. 2. of
| which Mr.. Olmsted of PENNSYLVANIA is
| chairman, met today and parties in the
| Ohio contested election of