The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-11-25
WAYS AND MEANS
TAKES UP SUGAR
Considering Tariff Schedules
on the Island
Product.

the price charged the consumer, the
Secretary of War putting himself on
record as a champion of free entry for
Philippine sugar ard the general
"'stand- pat' attitude IF the beet sugar
growers who apncaled before the Ways
and Means Committee of the House,
were the features of today's hearing
on the revision of the tariff as it would
affect sugar Secretary of War Wright
and General Clarence Edwards, chief
of the insular bureau, were present.
1t was shortly after the afternoon
session was begun that Chairman Payne
asked Secretary Wright if he cared to
make any remarks.
The former Governor of the islands
said: "We are now having an investi-
CATION made in the Philippines regard
ing the cost of production in the islands
and other matters relating to the ques
tion From what [ have just heard the
principal objection by the beet sugar
growers to the admission free of duty
of Philippine sugar lies in the danger
that markets will be inundated by the
Philippine article.
1t is not possible that the Philippine
Islands could supply the actual in
crease in demand for sugar, year by
,-o,- - +bo Tr,;+o1 C+o+oe l., +bo+ ooSa
there is no reason why the islands
should affect the market until the beet
and cane sugar produced within the
tariff wall increases 100000 tons. Be
fore the beet sugar industry is in the
slightest danger it must increase from
100000 tons annually to 100000 tons,
and from annual reports it would take
fifty years to do this
Chairman Payne indicated that the
possible action of the committee with
regard to the sugar schedule would be
to recommend that a certain amount of
the sugar be admitted free of duty each
year, and that the present tariff be i'm
posed on any above that amount. He
told Secretary Wright that the men
ace, if any, was from the Cuban sugar,
which enjoys a reduction in the tariff
of 20 per cent. He also admitted that
the Philippine tariff was so important
question that it might not be con-
sidered as being strictly part of the
work of revising the Dingley tariff, but
would pc taken up separately.
Secretary Wright said that the pro-
duction of sugar in the Philippine is
lands would not increase to any ex-
tent.
Representative Fordney of Michigan,
who has a large number of sugar beet
farmers among his constituents, told
the Secretary that the same argument
was put forth with regard to the Gu
ban sugar several years ago, and yet
the production in Cuba had increased
very largely, and the American beet
sugar industry had not increased very
much.
The beet sugar people say that the
American Sugar Refining Company has
no interest in their factories, - said the
Secretary, referring to the so-called
trust, 'fyet three years ago they
said trustee, understood to represent
the American Sugar Refining Company,
owned fifty-one per cent. of the stock
of all the beet sugar factories. That
may be the reason why the beet-sugar
industry in this country has not grown
rather than the importation of Cuban
sugar. There has been no reduction in
the prices of sugar in a number of
years. "
Much information concerning the cost
of producing sugar, the profits derived,
capital invested and methods of rein
ing were offered at today's hearing.
Colonel D. D. Colcock, on behalf of the
Louisiana cane sugar growers, said that
the methods by which the "trust''
names the price which it would pay the
grower were unfair and Hdamnable. -
Henry T. Oxnard, F. R. Hathaway, C.
n. Smith, F. T. Scholes, D. w. McCor-
mick and w. H. Baird, representing the
beet-sugar manufacturers of the West,
asked that the present tariff be main
or, if changed, that it be in
creased, claiming that the margin of
profit on beet sugar was too small to
permit of any competition with foreign
refners.
f. K. Hathaway, representing the
Michigan Sugar Company, charged that
F. F. Atkins, who viii appear tomor-
row representing the Cuban sugar grow
ers. "not only prophesies but threatens
a revolution in Cuba which would re-
suit in the annexation of Cuba and
ultimate free trade if the request for
is not granted. +"
The hearing will be continued tOmor-
row when the independent refners are