Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-05-19

Washington, May l9.-Severely ar
raigning the so-called sugar trust and
urging 4 material reduction in the duty
on refined sugar, MIR. Clay, of Georgia,
today discussed at great length the
various phases OF the beet and cs,i1e
sugar industries He argued that the
consumer Is Disseminated against in
favor of the American Sugar Refining
Company and that the sugar grower
gets no benefit of the differential be-
tween the duties on raw and refined
sugar He criticized most severely tho
manner in which the sugar schedule
of the Payne bill was framed.
Contending that the American Sugar
Refining Company owns the principal
retineries In the United States and is
almost without competition in refining
sugar. Mr.. Clay declared that the duty
on refined sugar almost prohibits the
importation Of foreign sugar into this
country. He said that the beet grower
and the cane grower of sugar both are
compelled to sell to the sugar trust
at the price which 1t fxes. Comparing
the wholesale price of granulated sug-
ar In Hamburg and in New York,
which he said was 2.31 cents per pound
cheaper In Hamburg. Mr. Clay figured
that the American consumer pays a
difference of s136.6S9 900 for its re-
fined sugar. OF this, he said. the gov
ernment gets s53,oOO.OOO in customs
duties, while, he said. the sugar trust
gets the other $4,000, 900.
"The American consumers of sugar
have paid to the American Sugar Re-
Sugar Trust at least fifty-five mill
lions per year in profit" said Mr.. Clay.
Amounting in twelve years to $780,
! 100000. The American people are not
aware of the fact that If the sugar we
import came into this country free of
any duty, both raw and refined. the
cost of sugar to the American consum-
er would be reduced nearly one half.
am not insisting that both refined
and raw, or either, should come to this
country free of duty. but there ought
to be substantial reduction over the
rates fixed in the Dingley law"
Why Tax Sugar?
Replying to the argument that sugar
Is a great revenue producer Mr. CLAY
desired to know why one of the neces-
stiles of life. used by the entire Ameri-
can people should be taken and its
cost increased to the consumer one
half when, he contended the amount
| of the revenue now produced by sugar
! could easily be supplied by an income
tax
Let us give to the American people
cheap sugar" continued Mr. Clay. Let
us grasp the sugar trust by the throa,
and stranGle 1t to death, and keep In
view the interest, the happiness. and
| welfare of the plain people of America
We must remember that sugar Is ar
important article of food daily con-
sumed by every man, woman and chile
in the country
Saying that the American working
man. during the last few years. has
| had d hard time to earn q living. Mr.
Clay deprecated the fact that the dut,
on refined sugar remains in the Payne
bill substantially the same as 1t is ir
the Dingley law. He said that the suga,
trust had no representative before the
| tariff framing committees of either the
house or the senate and added. "judg
ing from the treatment which the SUI
gar trust has received. this corporation
needed no representative before either
committee"
Taking into account the reciprocit,
duty on raw sugar from Cuba. the re.
duced duty on Philippine sugar. ant
the free sugar from the Hawaiian isl.
ands and Porto Rico under the Ding.
ley law. Mr.. Clay declared that the av.
erage tariff duty paid on sugar by tn,
sugar trust amounts to 104 cents pc,
pound instead of being 163ls cents PEI
hundred. He said that the differentia
of .215 per hundred pounds on refined
sugar should be added to the averaE,
duty Of 1.04 cents per hundred instead
of to 1885 cents as is done in tn,
Payne bill.
He said the sugar growers OF CUBA
Porto Rico, the Philippines. or the Ha
waiian islands or the consumers In tn,
United States received no benefit from
the concessions made In the duty o,
raw sugar from those islands. Mr.
Clay declared that the price of refine,
sugar was not reduced because OF tn
reductions in the rates on raw sugar
Trust an Habitual Violator.
i Reiterating that the American Su
gar Refining Company is commonl
called the sugar trust. Mr.. Clay de
clared. this trust has constantly vic
/ 1pA~ ~ -