New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-01-17
4 CAMPAIGN OF FALLAoY.

Tho Insincere and shallow character OF inc
fight made by the sugar interests 10 oeIeat lne
Philippine Tariff bill Is emphasized py TIC coLi,
promise offered by those interests yesterday anu
rejected by the friends Of the fayne hie"0u4o'
which was then passed in the House by an over
,yboImtno majority without harmful amend
roents and now goes to the Senate. Ihis COM
nromise submitted by Mr.. Fordney, OF hic+i.
ean. proposed a limitation on the quanuty VI
Philippine sugar and tobacco TO be brougnt heo
into this country after March IL, 19US' IT nA ao
the sugar maximum for any one year at 2oo'VO0
tons and prescribed an elaborate sllolng scare on
cigars and tobacco. In the fiscal year 1So4-o 10
we imported from the Philippines at 10 per
cent of the Dingley rate of duty about S9,oOo
TONS of sugar. The Fordney amendment contem-
plated, therefore, the removal Of all taxes on our
present importations from the Philippines and
+he enlargement of these importations within
Ave years by about 800 per cent But thus
frankly to admit that the present duty couId
he taken off Philippine sugar and that sugar
shipments to this country might be mulupneo
fiyefoId or skiold without really damaging tne
home producer was to fout the stand pat
logic so literally employed by the assa1lants
Of the Payne bill. 1t was an abanoolinent VI
the whole argument urged by the sugar inter-
ests and q direct betrayal of their deliberately
worked up case.
The sole plea made against the Payne Dill
was that It would work to the injury OF the
domestic sugar producer. The beet sugar III
dustry was pictured by Western congressman
as an Industry singled out for sacrifice on
sentimental grounds. Its growth, or, raner,
its maintenance, these statesmen argued, de-
pended on the preservation of the tariff status
ouo-on the Illustration Of all efforts to lower
existing tariff barriers against the competing
foreigner. Every ton OF Philippine sugar ad-
mitted would, from this point Of view, narrow
the American sugar growers market and de-
press domestic prices. If this contention were
true It would be Of vital Importance 10 the
American sugar planter to hold the door closed
against his Filipino rival. But suddenly, at
the last moment the sugar interests dlscoV-
cred that they could not only dispense WIN
the high rate now levied on the Philippine PROD
uct, but could safely allow the Filipino planter
TO sell us untaxed five times as much sugar as
he sells US now.
How is this singular change OF front TO Dc
accounted for? Only perhaps, by q conscious
ness on the part Of the opponents Of the Dill
that they were talking buncombe when they
asserted that prices Of sugar in the United
States would be affected by the duty we levied
or failed TO levy on sugar from the Philippines.
We pointed out the other day that the price
of sugar here must be fixed by the product
paying the highest duty-that is to say, by the
sugars we Duy from JdNht HSLAAaASS SOuI1A
America. Belgium and Mexico, which are all
paying the full Dingley rate. This idea was
strongly insisted upon by Mr.. Dalzell in re-
cent speech In the House Of Representatives,
when he said:
Is it not apparent that the sugar imported
at the full rate Of duty fixes the price? Is 1t
not apparent that It will continue to fix the price
so long as it continues to be imported: that
when it ceases to be imported the sugar paying
50 per cent of the duty [Cuhan sugar VIII a 1i3
the price; that there never will be a pr1ce nAeu
by connection in our home market until nome
supply equals home demand?
The domestic sugar industry has nothing TO
fear from the opening Of our market TO ule
Philippine product. That market has already
heen opened without injury to Hawaiian sugar
and Porto Rican sugar. 1t makes no practical
difference here what concessions we grant to
our own dependencies so long as against CUBA
and the rest Of the world-from when we get
nearly half Of our annual supply-we enforce
duty ranging from so TO 100 per cent OF the
present Dingley rate.