New-York tribune., 1908-11-18
SUGAR MEN HEARD
LOWER TARl
WANT'
Trust Present Beneficiary. Says 1fr.
SpreckeIs.
go rhe Tribune Bursau. J


Claus A. Spreckels of New York, president OF
| the Federal Sugar Refining Company. VINO
| argued that the present duty makes the Amerl-
can Sugar Refining Company the benefcarS oI
special privilege and gives it practical domlna-
ton ef the sugar market. The second reason
given by Edwin F. Atkins. of Boston b
sugar importer and planter in Cuba, who saio
that unless some of the restrictions are removed
from the Cuban commodity Il is certain that this
country will be forced TO annex the island. while
8 third argument was made by A. F. StillHan'
of New York. who pointed out that free trade
will stimulate the sugar industry in the Unlteo
States, TO the lasting benefit Of consumer le-
finer and producer Ii was the first time since
the beginning of the hearings that advocates or
anything like reduction Of the tariff have hao
their innings and though the testimony to-day
interspersed by that of witnesses VINO re-
quest continuance of the present duties the
advocates OF lower duties received more atten-
tion from the committee. which seemed glad Of
some diversity in the proceedings.
The statement of M SpreokeIs was preceded
by the assurance that his company is in no way
connected with the American Sugar Refining
Company. which he told the committee is q
powerful trust
7 would of course, appreciate he said. "a
moderate protection of refined sugars, but ]
would greatly prefer absolute free trade to the
| present schedules under which the Sugar Trust
is the principal beneficiary and is enabled TO
exact special privileges I take stock in the
theory that the duty sugar cannot be ahol-
ished because OF the loss in revenue to the gov
ernment. It can easily be equalzed by revenue
from less important sources. assert that beet
sugar factories located in proper localities where
climatic conditions are propitious. would soon
bring the price of sugar 10 21z cents pound
and that of the main objects Of the present
rate is 10 enable the production of sugar in un-
favora bile localities at the expense Of the Amer
lean public"
WOULD HELP BEET SUGAR.
| Mr.. SprecbeIs declared that the American
Sugar Refining Company has practically a
monopoly Of the sugar produced in Louisiana
and Hawaii. or which no duty is paid which
gives that company a great advantage over its
competitors. He argued hat free trade would
foster the production of beet sugar where It
could be most easily raised. and that the indus
try would soon prove a iourishing one.
Mr Atkins argued for lower duties, but for
a different reason. He pointed out that the
sugar industry in Cuba depended the industrial
progress of the island, ard that the United
states furnished Cuba's principal market The
industry in Cuba was not now as prosperous as
it might be. From these facts he deduced thai,
unless the sugar planters found a good market
in the United States they would be impover-
L
suit in dissatisfaction and discomfort followed
by revolution. which would lead TO occupation
and annexation by the United States. He ex-
pressed the opinion that another occupation of
| cuba by American troops could mean nothing
but ultimate annexation which would place
| Cuban sugar on the free list and seriously
menace the industry in this country
A F StillmaH, a representative Of the Ar
| buckle company. asserted that citizen in-
/ Wv RI n
sugar on the free list As a refiner also he *
pressed the same conviction. He admitted that
| the sugar industry would be hampered and tnat
| the Treasury receipts would suffer 70 some ex-
/ tent but he declared that in the END every IN
terest would be benefited by free trade in this
/ commodity The public would be benefited by
| reason OF the reduced price in sugar" said Mr..
Stillman ''the refner would gain because OF rhe
/ increased volume of business. and the producer
/ would ultimately be enriched because Of the in
( creased demand for sugar which would necss-
eary follow froe trade. We would find II
short time that instead Of importing large guam
tities OF commodities in which sugar is The prin-
! cipaI constituent. we would De abte 20 export
! these commodities. thus affording greater op-
/ portunities for capital and more employment for
labor
ANNEXATION OF CUBA
! Mr.. StiIIman also expressed the fear that an
nexation would follow continued restrictions on
Cuban sugar
Representative Gaines OF West Virginia,
not inclined TO agree that there any likeli-
/ hood Of this He declared that the planters in
/ cuba were prosperous TO an unprecedented de-
/ gree and that in his opinion the only persons
/ anxious to promote annexation those in
zestors and planters who had placed money in
/ Cuban lands with the hope Of eventual anneXa-
! tion and free trade.
Nfr Atkins read two cable dispatches from
/ Cuban sugar and tobacco growers, asking he
! committee to defer action these articles
IF YOU get the reduction in the tariff on sugar
| that vou seek" Mr.. Clark asked, would there
/ he anv reduction the consumer?
/ There would be q reduction in the eJail
/ price of about one-haf cent, I should say"
! the reply
/ How 90 you know that the Sugar Trust won't
! grab up that half cent?"
IF they could / would join them"
! MI spreekels in reply Chairman Payne
I said his company compelled to buy its
! sugars in Java Porto Rico and Cuba. The con-
/ surners would get the benefit OF the reduction in
/ the tariff He said that % per cent of the sugar
! beet produced i this country raised by
/ Asiatlc labor. Mr. Spreckels admitted that he
! had bought sugar lands in Cuba q specula-
/ ton hoping that the island would some time
| become annexed to the United States. and that
| as result the value of those lands would be
doubled.
G. W Swink, "a beet sugar grower Rocky
Ford Gel. said that Japanese Mexicans and
Indians were largely employed in the farming
Of sugar beets. Representative Clark drew from
the witness the fact that sugar beets brought
$40 an acre, while hay. wheat and corn three OF
the principal crops Of the middle Western states
bring S15 acre.