The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-05-27
SUGAR: A CHANGE FOR REAL
REVISION. NO. xxx.

sion OF congress, IN his long address in
support of his amendment to strike out
OF the sugar tariff the unscientific and
obsolete Dutch standard of color. which
has been proved to be the real protee-
ton of the Sugar trust.
By the time this appears in print.
the vote may have been taken on this
amendment, and the fate of this effort
IN behalf of the public decided. How
ever 1T may be decided, the discussion
which has been had on this schedule.
beginning in the columns of this news
paper and afterward carried to the
1oor of the Senate by Senators Bris-
tow, Clay. Owen, and others, has been
the most Illuminating consideration
ever given TO the sugar business. Sen
ator Bristow's argument would have
convinced any intelligent jury which
was open to conviction. 1t would have
moved anybody less predetermined than
the solid force of support which is ham
mering the schedules of the Finance
Committee bill through the Senate
without any regard to arguments,
merits, or consequences.
The Dutch standard of color has been
in the tariff so long, and so much
pains has been taken to obscure the
facts about sugar, that it has come to
be about as firmly fixed as a supersti-
ton, and with about as much reason.
Thus Senator Smith of Michigan, one
of the mainstays of the support for
the ancient and indefensible color
test, representing a beet sugar State
and perfectly sincere in his adhesion
to the ancient color standard supersti-
ton, showed how very little is really
known about the real inwardness of the
matter. when he said that ito strike
out the Dutch standard would strike
down a test established throughout
the commercial world. and throw the
whole sugar business into a condition
of chaos"
That was the opportunity Senator
Bristow had been awaiting. AIr. Smith
had assumed a front place in guard
ianship Of the beet sugar interests. He
spoke with a conviction which sug-
gested profound information and final
ity Of argument. Senator Bristow re-
piled.
'The Senator peaks OF this Dutch
standard as universal in the commercial
world. and of its abolition as menac-
ing this great industry with chaos The
fact is that forty nations, including
all the great commercial countries.
have abandoned this standard Holland
itself has abandoned it. Let me read
10 the Senator the list of the countries
that have dropped this test because.
since the invention OF the polariseope,
1t has been recognized as antiquated
and unscientife Here are the coun-
tries which have abandoned this test"
The Senator proceeded to read the list
It included every great commercial cOun-
try in Europe-Great Britain. Ger
many. France. Russia, Italy. Austria
Hungary; the South American coun-
tries; the South African Federation;
Australasia; Mexico. and so on through
the list till it was hard to realize shat
anything on the map had been over
looked Then he took up the other
side and read the names OF these spieu-
didly unprogressive countries vhiea
still adhere to tbs ancient standard:
British India.
Portugal tagi
China. N3z
Denmark
Sweden.
Japan.
The United States
It was small wonder that the com.
plete and convincing answer ended that
Azture of the discussion. The diff
salty was that Senator smith,
ike TO many other Senators, had
accepted frsyed-out tradition
about the sacred character of this test,
without taking the trouble to learn
the facts about it..
Why has this test been abandoned
by other and really progressive eoun-
triesg
Because their legislation has been
progressive enough TO recognize it was
worse than worthless in he presence
of the scientific test Of the polariscope.
Even in vhe United States, the polar
iscope test has had to be taken into
consideration. 1t is in the law. II
should be the only test. There is
about as much sense in a double stand
ard in sugar as there is in money
metals.
The Dutch standard is retained in
pur tariff because i serves the pur-
poses of the rust anl for no 3her