Albuquerque citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1907-1909, 1909-05-19
SUGAR TRUST SEVERELY
ARRAIGNED BY CLAY
OF GEORGIA
American Sugar Refining Co.
Own All Principal
Refinories In
America
DISCRIMINATE AGAINST
AMERICAN CONSUMER
Americans Pay More for Homo
Refined sugar Than Do Peo-
pie In Germany--Prodpcer
at Mercy of Great
Trusts.

washington. May 19.-Deciaring
that Joseph F. Smith. head of the
Mormon church, every year fixes the
price of beets in the interest OF the
beet sugar factories In Utah. rather
than In favor of the producers of
beets, Senator Clay. in the Senate to-
day called forth the Characterization
of his statement as "absoluteIy nm
true" by Senator Smooth. who is him
self in the Mormon church. CLAY de-
clared Smith. as president OF the
beet sugar factories of Utah. receiy-
ed an annual salary of $4,000.
Washington, d. c., May 1g.-Se-
verely arraigning the so-called sugar
trust and urging a material reduction
In the duty on refined sugar, Mr..
Clay OF Georgia, today discussed at
great length the various phases of the
oeet and cane sugar industries He
argued that the consumer Is dis
criminated against in favor of the
American Sugar Refining company
ana that the sugar grower gets no
benefit of the differential between
the duties on raw and refined sugar.
He criticised most severely the man.
ner in which the sugar schedule of
the Payne bill was framed.
Contanding that the American Su-
gar Refining Company owns the prin-
cipal refinerles in the United states
and is almost without competition In
refining sugar. Mr.. Clay declared that
the duty on refined sugar almost pro-
hibits the importation of foreign su-
gar in this country He said that
the beet grower and the cane grow
er of sugar both are compelled to sell
to the sugar trust at the price which
it fixes. Comparing the wholesale
price of granulated sugar in Ham
burg and In New York. which he said
was 2.31 cents per pound cheaper in
Hamburg. Mr. Clay figured that the
American consumer pays difference
Of $136, $50, 900 for it's refined sugar.
OF this. he said. the government gets
S53.000.OO0 in customs duties. while.
he said, the sugar trust gets the other
$50, 600 900.
The American consumers of su-
gar have paid to the American Su-
gar Refining company commonly
called the sugar trust at least $685.
O00 600 per year in profit" said Mr..
$3.50, 600. 600. The American people
are not aware of the fact that IL the
sugar we import came into this coun-
try free of any duty, both raw and
refined, the cost of sugar To the Amer
icaE consumer 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 sub
stantial reduction over the rates fixed
in the Dirsley law"
Replying to the argument that
sugar is great revenue producer.
Mr. clay desired to know why one of
the necessities OF life. used by the
entire American people, should be
taken and its cost Increased to the
consumer one-half when. he con-
tended, the amount of the revenue
now produced by sugar could easily
be supplied by an income tax.
Let us give to the American peo-
pie cheap sugar" he continued. Let
rs grasp the sugar trust by the throat
and strangle it to death, and keep
n view of the interest The happiness.
and welfare Of the plain people of
America We must remember that
'uBdI lS an important article or tOOu
laily consumed by every man. wom-
IN and child i'm the country"
Saying that the American working
nan, during the last fourteen years.
has had a hard time to earn a liv-
ng, Mr.. Clay deprecated the fact that
he duty on refined sugar remains
n the Payne bill substantially the
same as II Is i'm the Dingley law.
He said that the sugar trust had no
before the tariff franz
ng committees of either the House or
he Semitic ana added Judging
rom the treatment which the sugar
rust has received, this corporation
needed no representative before
-ither committee"
Taking into account the reciprocity
iuty on raw sugar from Cuba. the
reduced duty on Philippine sugar. and
the free sugar from the Hawaiian
islands and Porto Rico under the
Dingley law, Mr.. Clay declared that
the average tariff duty paid or SUI
gar by the sugar trust amounts %