Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-17
SUGAR ON FREE LIST
Former Trust Magnate Wants
to See It There.
TELLS COMMITTEE so
Claus Spreckles a Frank Witness at
Tariff Hearing.
REMOVE DUTY GRADUALLY
Declares It Would Benefit the Con-
sumner, Curb Trusts and Not
Hurt Government

Il would, OF course. appreciate, and
think we are entitled to, moderate pro-
lection on refined sugars, but would prefer
absolute free trade to the present sched-
ule, under which the sugar trust is the
principal beneficiary and enabled to exact
special privileges and conditions on sugars
produced in Louisiana and the Hawaiian
islands,
This statement was made before the
ways and means committee of the House
this morning at the tariff hearing by
Claus A. SpreckleS, the former sugar
trust magnate. and today an independent
refiner. In reply to question put by one
of the members of the committee he said
he was has been.' as far as his hold
ings in the American Sugar Refining
Company, commonly called the trust
were concerned
Mr.. Spreckels is the president of the
Federal Sugar Refining Company of New
York, whose refinery is at Yonkers. OF
his company he said:
1T Is an entirely independent con-
Germ, with no direct or indirect affilia-
tions. understanding or agreement of
any kind whatsoever with the sugar
trust
Asking No Favors.
in order that the committee might en-
tirely understand his position he would
say that he was asking no favors and
would be perfectly satisfied if Congress
should agree upon free trade.
All OF his statements were heard with
very great interest by the members of
the committee. who were out in force.
He was kept on the stand for over an
hour and many questions were asked him
after he had completed his brief formal
presentation.
1T is evident that the country desires
revision of the tariff and expects a re-
duction of duties whenever ii can be
shown to be reasonable. feasible and adj
vantageous. he continued. Personal
ly. take no stock in the old and thread
bare theory that the duty on sugar cam
not be abolished on account of the gov
ernment requiring the revenue and have
full confidence that your committee and
the Senate finance committee can. after
your years of experience; raise the neces-
sary revenue from other sources.
LAS far as the production of the do
mestic sugar is concerned. I claim that
beet sugar factories located IN proper
localities such as Colorado. California,
Utah Idaho and Oregon, should-and I
am informed-can produce granulated
sugar at 21a cents per pound. OF course.
IL it be the purpose of this government
to impose a tariff which will enable the
production of articles In unsuitable locali-
ties at the expense of the American
public, then an import duty is necessary
and will always have TO be maintained.
Trust the Beneficiary.
AS far as Louisiana is concerned l con-
tend that the sugar trust is in a posi-
ton to seize at its discretion large
share If not all. of the benefit of the
protection granted
AS far as our colonies are concerned
they today are able to produce sugars
in competition with the rest of the world
Under the circumstances i believe the
sooner our government reduces and
gradually wipes out entirely the duty on
sugar the better it will be for the coun-
try and all cOncerned-Of course bear
Ing in mind that the differential afforded
ref1ners should be reduced in proportion
to the reduction in duties on raw sugar"
In reply TO a question of Representative
Champ Clark of Missouri, Mr. Spreckels
declared his belief that not only would
the price of sugar raised in this country
be unchanged to the growers by slight
reduction in the present tariff, but the
price to the consumer would be lowered
because the trust would be kept from
securing the benefit of the present differ
tial rate.
Square Deal" for Cuba.
Another sugar man who gave the COM
mittee an interesting hour or more this
morning was Edwin F. Atkins, large
sugar raiser in Cuba. where he owns about
81, 600 acres of land on which he grows
cane He advocated free sugar from Cuba.
but wanted to see the present rate kept
from other places outside OF the United
States. He took the position that this
country ought to give Cuba square
deal by providing her with a good mar
ket for her sugar and thus enabling her
to grow industrially.
Free trade with Cuba would tend to re-
duce the price of sugar to the consumer
I'm this country in the opinion of Mr. At
kins.