Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-05-01
MOVE MENT IN SENATE TO AD-
JUST SUGAR SCHEDULES WITH
OUT GENERAL DEBATE.
EVERY MEANS REsoRrED TO
TO HEAD OFF A FIGHT
Senators From Beet Sugar centers to
Be Given All They Ask = oxnard
Now in Washington Lobbyins-Rev-
enue From Sugar Strongest Arsu-
ment for Tariff.
Especial Correspondence


Washington, May IA determined
effort is making, among the senate
leaders, to get the sugar schedule of
the Aldrich bill adopted without hav-
ing a general discussion and the ne
cessity of voting on series of amend
ments.
The powers in the chamber are anx-
ious to prevent such contest. 1t is not
known whether they have reasons to
fear the outcome of such a fight, or
whether they merely want to save sem
ators from the embarrassment incident
to taking a position for or against the
present adjustment of the sugar du-
ties; but it is fatty charged that they
are using every means possible to head
off the fight.
The story goes that Senators Bur-
one or two other senators from western
beet sugar states have been promised
that they car have their own way
about the rates, if they can manage to
suppress the discussion or at least pre-
vent it developing into serious as
sault on the sugar business The OPP
ponents of the present rates are look
ing into the sugar trust and it's ffnan-
cial history, with the purpose of lev
cling their attacks against it. This is
the very thing which the leaders want
to avoid, it is explained. They under
stand the difficulty of defending the
trust from the floor and before the
country. They recognize that it has not
many friends, and that it is the most
vulnerable point in the armor of SUI
gar. Therefore it is desired to put the
defense up to men from the west, who
may make the case on the strictly pro-
tective argument. There will be a vast
deal of talk about the wonderful
the past and it's great possibilities for
the future.
oxnard Is Lobbying.
Henry T. Oxnard, head of the Ok
nard interests in the western beet reg
ions, is in Washington, at work for the
retention of the present duties. Mr..
OXnard is always presented about this
time in the processes of tariff discus
sion, as the patron saint of the sugar
beet. 1t is commonly charged that his
interests are closely involved with
those of the American Sugar Refining
company, and in proof of this is cited
the fact that the latter company con-
fesses to owning about $23,000,000 of
stocks in beet sugar concerns But the
trust, which aside from these invest
ments is primarily refiner of i'm
ported sugar, aims to keep in the back
ground :
The best sugar senators have been
busily laying the foundation for their
case, by passing resolutions calling for
information concerning that industry.
One came from Senator Guggenheim,
have been sent to these by the depart
mental authorities, and a vast amount
of material has been gathered concern
ing the sugar trade of the world, and
it's relations to that of the United
States. On the other hand, the sena-
tors who want to attack the present
schedule are equally busy, analyzing
these reports, and studying sugar con-
ditions everywhere.
Do We Need the Revenue?
n The great mainstay, in argument, of
the advocates of the present schedules,
will be the need of revenue from sug-
ar. 1t will be urged that with the tar
if bill attacked on the ground that
it will not provide necessary revenue,
there is poor excuse for attempting to
lower the receipts from the item which
produces more revenue than any other
sugar.
This revenue argument is answered
with the proposal to increase the rev.
enue of the government, and reduce
that of the trust, by readjustment Of
the duties of raw and refined sugars.
One proposal for accomplishing this is
to increase the duty of raw sugar, and
at the same time either lowering or
leaving stationary the duty on refined
sugar. 1t is this way, it is urged, the
trust will be forced to pay more for
the Importation Of its raw material,
while it will not De able to exact a
correspondingly greater amount from
the consumer, because the reduced or
stationary price on the refined article
will assure that importations will keep
the price down.
Statistics have been made by the
critics of this schedule, which show
that since Hawaiian sugar was admit
ted duty-free, no less than $132 100000
worth has come from that territory;
that since Cuban sugar was given the
benefit of the reciprocity concession of
20 per cent off the full duty, that con-
cession has amounted to s41,212,000
saving to the importers of Cuban sug-
ar; that since Porto Rico came into
the union and got the advantage. OF
special concessions in duty, it's sugar
has been admitted for $14,000,00O less
than the full duty would have amount
ed to. In short, 1t is claimed that in
this period the trust has been given a
total of almost $2O0,000,000 in these re-
duced duties-and yet the price to the
consumer has not materially lowered
The conclusion urged is that the trust
has had the benefit Of this reduction
| in the tax on the raw sugar
| All these and many other aspects
will be developed in much detail when
the schedule comes UP for discussion
Initiate a Photograph.