Los Angeles herald., 1908-11-18
TAFT SUPPORTS
WRIGHT IN FREE
TRADE OPINION
PRESIDENT-ELECT AND WAR
SECRETARY AGREE
PHILIPPINE TOBACCO AND SUGAR
TO BE EXEMPT
Champ Clark Asks What viii Become
Of American Beet Growers
and Ellclts ominous
Replies

IA ASdINd1ON, NOV. If.--IndI Ille
w opinions which had been ex-
pressed by Secretary of War
Wright in favor of free trade with the
Philippines for tobacco and sugar are
the views of President-elect Taft, was
the freely expressed opinion of those
present in the ways and means COM
mittee room of the house today at the
hearing on the sugar schedule on tar
iff.
Secretary Wright's familiarity with
the situation in the American Asiatic
possessions leads to the belief that he
will disclose some interesting facts
when he appears before the commit
tee later.
Edwin F. Atkins of Boston, owner
of a large sugar plantation in Cuba,
told the committee today that the reel
procity treaty with Cuba, by which its
products enjoy 20 per cent dlfferen-
tial in the sugar duties, expires next
month.
He produced two cablegrams from
Cuban sugar and tobacco growers ask
ing the committee to defer action on
these articles. Mr.. Atkins urged the
tariff on sugar be reduced and that
Cuba be- given the existing different1al
on this lower rate.
Representative Champ Clark of Mis-
souri, asked Mr.. Atkins:
Where Danger Lies
"What is going to become of the
American beet sugar growers wnen
Cuba belongs to the United States?
THAT is the question" answered Mr..
Atkins. '"Fhere is the most imminent
danger of this coming about"
"If you get the reduction in the
tariff on sugar that you seek" Mr..
Clark asked. ''would there be any re-
duction to the conspmer?"
"There would be a reduction in the
retail price of ABOUT one-half cent, L
should say" was the reply.
How do you know the sugar trust
won't grab up that half cent?'
"If they could would Join Eheni4
An advocate for the free entry or
sugar was Claus A. Spreckels, president
of the Federal Sugar Refining com
| pany. an independent" concern of
New York.
IT would be perfectly satisfied if you
should finally decide to agree upon
free trade" said Mr.. Spreckels, who
was formerly connected with the Amer
lean Sugar Refining company. known
as the sugar trust, "in both raw and
refined sugar.
-"I think we are entitled to mod
crate protection on refined sugar. but
would prefer absolute free trade to the
present scale under which the sugar
trust is the principal beneficiary and
enabled to enact special privileges and
conditions on sugar produced in Louis
lana and the Hawaiian islands.
Revision Desired
ut is evident the country desires a
revision of the tariff and expects re-
duction of duty whenever it can be
shown to be reasonable, feasible and
advantageous"
Mr. Spreckels was interrogated by
Chairman Payne of the committee re-
garding the effect of the free entry of
sugar.
Mr. Spreckels said his concern was
compelled to buy it's sugar in Java,
Porto Rico and Cuba, as ''the sugar
trust had the output of Louisiana and
the Hawaiian islands contracted for
Upon being questioned by other
members of the committee he said the
consumers would get the benefit of the
reduction in the tariff
Mr. Spreckels claimed that those
sugar manufacturers who were max
ing sugar at 215 cents per pound We're
not appearing before the committee to
give information about the cheapness
of manufacturing beet sugar. He said
thdL 80 pei SSi' u ~ 9'S
duced in this country We're raised by
Asiatic labor.
That the American Sugar Refining
company, or his own company, needed
no tariff protection, was asserted by
Mr.. Spreckels. He admitted that he
had bought sugar lands in Cuba as a
speculation, hoping that the island
would some time become annexed to
the United States, and that as a result
the value of those lands would be
| doubled.