The Washington times., 1906-02-21
PHILIPPINE SUGAR
DECIDED MENACE
Producers Strong Protest
Against Payne Bill.
TESTIMONY OF EXPERT
Insist That Cheap Commodity Produced
in the Islands Will InjuTe
This Country.

In concluding his testimony on the
Payne tariff bill before the Senate Com
mittee on Philippines. r. r. Hathaway,
of Saginaw Mich. said that the i'm
portation of Philippine sugar to this
country according TO the measure under
consideration would ultimately destroy
the beet sugar industry at home.
Il believe" said Mr. Hathaway. that
it has always been the principles of
Republicanism and Republican doc
trines 10 protect home markets and
home industries TIE ultimate output of
beet sugar in the islands. I believe will
reach such proportions as TO completely
wipe out home industry. and under these
circumstances will enable those not in
sympathy with us to establish a market
price for beet sugar that we cannot cope
with"
In explaining why he has heretofore
referred to Philippine sugar as cheap
sugar" Mr.. Hathaway said that he used
that expression because of the cheap
way in which the Filipinos produced
sugar. He then gave an exposition of
the manner in which the natives of the
islands produced that product
Made Personal Study.
He said he had personally made a
thorough study of the exact conditions
OF the farmers in the islands and their
methods of Grating sugar for transpor-
tation
The situation in the islands in this
respect was in an undeveloped state
The development Of which would neces-
sarily be inferred that the ultimate out
put of sugar in the islands would be
almost impossible to be stated with any
degree OF accuracy He then went into
the question of labor in the islands.
In some cases." he said "FifDino
labor was absolutely worthless. while
IN other instances II was considered
Upon inquiry by Senator Long as to
whether he thought American capital
would be drawn toward the beet sugar
lndustFy in the islands Mr. Hathaway Y
SAID ne thought II would, as it was al
most necessary to have white or Ameri-
can supervision over Filipino labor in
order to develop conditions there in a
modern way.
Profits of Industry.
Taking up the profits derived from the
beet industry in Michigan the witness
said that he ascertained from public
records that there We're more farm mort
cages paid on from the period the first
beet sugar factory WAS established in
Michigan TO late than in the period from
The close of the civil war up to the time
a factory in his State was established
This, he contended, showed that the
manufacturers of beet sugar were not
alone the benefactors, but that such
benefits were distributed throughout the
farmers of this country.
He also said that the price per acre
of land, both as a rental price and a
purchase price, had shown a decided
increase since the beet sugar industry
began 10 be developed at home.
Wallace p WiIlett, of New York. pub
fisher of the Statistical Sugar Trade
Journal then took the stand Mr.. Will
lett read extracts from report made
by a comuittee of sugar producers
which investigated the sugar conditions
OF Europe and Asiatic countries last
October He spoke Of an agreement
between the slgnatOry powers Of Eu-
rope to suspend execution of the sur
tax imposed on sugar.
He then spoke against the enactment
of the Payne bill in its present state
on the grounds that the influx Of
Philippine sugar to the United States
under the provisions of the measure
would work a hardship on the promo
JerS OF the industry at home.
It is understood that the committee
until a week from tomorrow. The
hearings will probably be completed
this week, after which the committee
Will, in closed session, consider amend
mentS to the measure to meet In part
the views expressed by the several wit
nesses who have entered protests
against the admittance C Filipino sugar
rArlrl -