New-York tribune., 1903-01-10
THE PHILIPPINE TARIFF.
NEED FOR REDUCTION.
Bill Likely to Pass Despite Beet
Sugar Opposition.
Tpr TrLroRApH 10 rHE rx1Rusr !

washington. Jan 9.-It was with regret that
officials Of the War Department learned to-day
of the adoption by the American Beet Sugar
Association of the resolution protesting against
the proposed reduction Of the tariff on imports
from the Philippines. That the industries Of
1he United States have anything TO fear from
Philippine competition was characterized by an
oesoer who is Thoroughly familiar with Philip
-,ine conditions as -chimerical and prepos-
terous
The greatest sugar crop ever produced in the
Islands amounted to only $4,000 tons. and that
WIS in 1899, before the rinderpest had almost
exterrainated the carabao. the only practical
beast Of burden in the islands. In the last year
.be total output Of sugar amounted to only
& 600 tons, and the most liberal estimate placed
,be crop Of this year at 10000 tons. The serious
condition ot the islands. portrayed by the
,4scs-s Of the War Department to-day, was
described editorially in The Tribune this morn
ing That Congress regards the situation as
grave is shown by the action OF the Philippine
committee which yesterday voted to report IA
vorably bin appropriating S2,5oo,ooo for i'm
mediate use by the Philippine Commission in al
deviation of the inevitable suffering under such
conditions. The department officials argue that
It is absurd TO anticipate a competition of suf1i-
Gent magnitude TO injure the sugar producers
Of the United States.
In further proof OF this statement certain sta
-istics are advanced The total consumption OF
s,1gsr in the United States last year was 1913
slea tons Of which amount 100000 tons were
imported The combined output Of Porto Rico
and Hawaii was $4,000 tons. leaving deficit
Of I31S0oo tons to he supplied from other
sources. Even assuming, they say, that under
the provisions of the Cuban treaty the entire
crop Of that country estimated last year at
$1,000 tons should come the United States.
there would still remain $4,000 tons which
must be obtained from other sources-an
amount far in excess Of any crop which the
Philippines would be capable Of producing II
IS believed by the officials that there will be
no reduction in the price at which the beet
sugar manufacturers are compelled 10 sell thelr
product SO long there remains margin Oh
which importers must pay full tariff rates
In view of the facts that when the reoucIoh
Of 25 per cent was under consideration in the
Philippine Commission last session senators
Burrows and Dietrich strongly opposed II, ana
that the beet sugar convention has so urgently
protested against the present BILL II Is reared
that rhe measure will encounter opposlllon IN
the Senate Senator Burrows when seen TO-
day refused TO state his position until the COM
.r7irree had given the measure further consld-
Grafton
A prominent Senator who favors the bill called
TIE Tribune's attention 10 the fact that Wnen
the Philippine bill was under passage last ses-
sion Senator Foraker offered an amendmenl
making the tariff reduction now proposed, and
from the cioseness of the vote II was evident that
only the fact that Senator Lodge, chairman OF
the Philippine Committee. withheld his support
prevented its adoption
Taking this vote as an Indication Of the SEN
-imen4 of the Senate the Senator said he be-
lieved the bin would he passed despite the op-
position