The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-04-24
Tariff RevisiOnists Are Now.
Investigating 1t.
Bristow' of Kansas Will Lead
Attack on Schedules.
ARE MOUNTAIN HIGH
Scott Stirred Them Up With His
Anti-Gambling Bill.
Washington Gossip of Interest
to Kansans,

Washington, D. c., April 24-There
are highly encouraging evidences that
congress is not going to sleep through
this revision, without once being
awakened to even consideration of
the foremost of all tariff impositions-
sugar. From both the Republican and
the Democratic sides come the word
that sugar is going to be investigated;
is being investigated; is to be aired :;
and that some voting will be forced
Senator Joseph L. Bristow of KAN
sas is making the investigation on the
Republican side; Senator Clay of
Georgia on the Democratic
Senator Clay has introduced an
amendment to the schedule which he
proposes to press at the right time,
with the view, not of giving free
sugar, but of pairing off the upper
strata of the HimaIayan mountain of
profits which the sugar trust coaxes
out of the public every year.
1t is agreed by Republicans and
Democrats alike that free sugar is
neither necessary nor desirable There
is a sugar production in this country
which beyond question is entitled to
be given consideration. 1t may be
that investigation will demonstrate
that a bounty to the producers of
beet and cane sugar in this country
would be just as good for them, and
a good deal better for the consumer;
indeed, we strongly suspect it would.
The investigation is going to be made,
and the public will in due time be in
formed of its results.
But thus far the point on which the
sugar investigators in both parties are
| agreed is simply that the sugar trust
| is tariff trust, and is getting a better
| thing, at the pub1ic's expense, than
| any trust should be allowed.
Congressman Charles F. Scott OF
| Kansas, chairman of the house com
\ nittee on agriculture, who has intro
duced the bill to prevent gambling in
| futures on agricultural products, /:
/ engaged in an effort to break the Pat
| ten wheat corner in Chicago. He ha:
the idea that relief might be provid
ed if stock of wheat could bt
| brought into the country to relieve
the shortage. 1t appears to him tina
| Canada might be drawn upon, bu
| upon investigation he has found tina
this cannot be. The price in Canadt
is substantially the same as in thi
country and, therefore, even if it wer'
possible to secure temporary, suSpen
sion of the wheat tariff of rs cent
bushel, there would be nothing t
induce the shipment of that whea
across the border.
| Mr.. Scott has induced the Statistical
bureaus of the government to lool
about for wheat stocks that might b
available to relieve the pressure caus
ed by the Patten corner. Since tn
publication of the terms of his bill h
has received scores of letters an
kilograms of commentator. An tier
that reached him today was a tele
gram from Chicago, saying that tn
banks were refusing to loan money t
millers, but supplied plenty of it t
| Patten and his associates.
"In time said Mr.. Scott, eve wi
| have to restrict or abolish speculation
in stocks as we'll as in food products
The time will come when we will re
| gard that as we now do slavery, an
| wonder why the people tolerated it S
long The panic of 1907 was due t
stock speculation. Money went to 10
per cent, which business men coul'
not pay. and all available cash wa
| absorbed by the New York Spectator
| while business was paralyzed."
Scott has the support of many of hi
| colleagues in the house. and a siren
uous effort will be made to pass hi
| bill next winter.
Colonel Guy L. Eide, new White