New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-03-21
BRANDEGEE'S ERRORS.
HIS LETTER Us. FACTS.
Points the Senator Made and Missed
IN Defending His Vote.

p-andegee's letter 10 a New Haven constituent
sesencrg his vote 20 smother the Payne Philip
nine Tart. BIZ las attracted attention In tEIs
stale more because OF its challenge to public
.e,tiulent than because Of any Inherent logical
merit HIS arguments VIII not bear examination
IN the light OF the facts edduced at the hearings
on the Payne bin before the House Ways and
Means Committee and the Senate Philippines
Committee Mr.. Brandegee's arguments may be
briefly summarized. He declares that the Asri-
cultural Department has induced thousands OF
people 10 90 into the business OF raising sugar
beets az over the country, and that millions OF
capital have been invested in American sugar
beet factories. Moreover. the people of Alabama,
Georgia Louisiana and Connecticut have been
induced by the Agricultural Department to in
vest millions IN the business Of raising tobacco,
and particularly the variety known as shade
grown" tobacco.
The Senator says the testimony taken showed
that the states Of Alabama and Georgia had in
vested over 100000 in the last few years in
his business. and that large numbers Of Ameri-
can vorknen are interested not only in the
CROWNS Of the raw products but in the manu-
featuring Of the same into the finished article.
and mat II the Payne bill passes they viii be
brougH, lnto competition with Oriental labor,
paid a. The rate OF 10 10 20 cents a day. He
asserts further that under the Payne bill rich
Dutch companies OF Sumatra and Java would
establish branches in the Philippines, and IN
mat way European powers would have free ac-
cess 10 the markets Of eighty millions OF Amerl-
can Consumers. and more and more Asiatic labor
would be brought into direct competition with
our own. he denies that we are under any
obligations 10 the Philippine people TO open our
markets 70 them free Of duty; declares that
Philippine relief would be granted at the ex-
pense q three American industries alone. and
does not think that such discrimination consti-
tures square deal"
THE SUGAR INTEREST NOT AssAILED.
WITH reference 10 the beet sugar industry,
there are TWO complete answers 10 Mr.. Brande-
gees position The first IS that the United
State consumes about 100000 tons Of sugar
ana this consumption Is increasing at the rate
Of about 100000 tons year The local supply
that is. The supply from Louisiana, Hawaii
Porto Rico and the beet sugar industry-all told
amounts 10 100000 tons. leaving q deficit be-
tween the demand and the local supply OF
10000 tons. OF this, 100000 tons come in
from cuba, and pay a duty 20 per cent less than
the ui-gley rate; 10000 tons come in from the
East Indies. Europe. South America, etc. and
pay the full Dingley rate. and about 10000
tons come IN from the Philippines, and pay 30
PEI cent Of the Dingey rate. It IS clear that the
or1- detrimental effect the free Introduction Of
Philippine sugar into this country could have
upon the production Of beet sugar would be TO
lower the domestic price. But the price OF sugar
ir this country is determined, so long as any
sugar has to be imported over the tariff wall,
ry The price at which that sugar can be laid
down "a New York. plus the duty which II has
10 nay: and so long as Il is necessary, IN order
n meet the supply, 10 import any sugar the
p-lce viii be the cost Of laying II down n New
York plus the duty Il has 10 pay. Until there
fore. the local supply. including the supply
which may come from the Philippines free Of
dviv. shall meet the demand, there Is no posi-
Hay that the free importation Of Philippine
sugar viii affect the produc'iou Of beet sugar.
n Other words, the import. from the Philip
pines into the United States must increase from
5000 tons which II was -ast year, 70 l6OooOO
tons before II can have any effect whatever upon
the p-lce Of sugar in this country.
The total production OF sugar in the Philip
pines Lzsr wear did not exceed 10000 tons, and
rot more than 10000 tons were exported In
HE whole history Of The Philippines me laI 80
expectation ever made was 265OpO tons. me
industry has been languishing so that sugar
planters are planting rice instead OF sugar, AI-u
disaster has attended sugar culture for a num-
Der ~ years The immediate effect OF introduc-
ing capital INTO the sugar industry, ana OF an
attempt 20 enlarge the production would be 10
eez--T-a -- 4-Cv7 % "a 20 cents than American
labor r. 81 70 and s.. This is shown not only
e. me Philippines but IN Panama. The prospect
q a profitable increase in the sugar INDUSTRY IN
labor and the general conditions lheTe opposing
airy large expansion OF business. million dol
ls- plant IS required for the production OF 1D-VyJ
tots ~ sugar The sloWness with when amer
car capital has gone into the Islands makes II
impossible that there should be invested for this
purI- enough capital 10 produce any such
amount ~ sugar as would have the slightest
erC-L lI0l The markets OF the United States.
TIE production would have 10 increase nine
times me total quantity produced in the islands
n order taa- II should have any effect what
ever This 20 any one who knows the Islands Is
ute y I- possible
COST PREVENTS COMPETITION.
Again. the cost Of producing sugar In the
discou-ages an such expansion Of the sugar
business. The price Of sugar al IlOilo, which is
the market 1or the islands, was:
-sas cents pound 1902. .--....1-2 cents pound
lses e. csrtF pound 1906. ......15 cents pound
100 cents pound 1908 -------17 cents pound
ls -..-IT ceuLs q pound IL cents pound
Win these prices. which were paid for sugar
delivered IL I0ilo by the planters. disaster has
come 70 the sugar industry and the planta-
TORS have largely given UP raising sugar and
are raising rice which indicates as strongly
a. possible that the cost Of producing sugar
AID LAYING Il down al Uouo, testified by
lie Philippine witnesses 70 be one cent and
quarter 10 one cent and half a pound Is
entirely correct. The claim that II can be laid
down az a Jess figure IN uoilo by witnesses
sent out for the purpose Of making case and
VINO represented themselves 10 be anxious 10
purchase property ia order 70 obtain inflated
opinions as 10 the profit II the sugar INDUSTRY
Erc The economy IN the production Of the sugar,
is utterly refuted by tEe fact with respect 10
the isnguisning condition OF the industry under
The prices above named Now. 70 that sugar
a. 2 cent and a quarter pound laid down in