The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1909-06-17
THE TARIFF ON SUGAR.


and the persons who carry 1t are the
consumers. Sugar IL universal
article Of diet in this country. The
poor man uses as much of II as does
the rich man, and, there being more
poor men than there are rich men,
II is easy to figure out which class
is most effected by the tariff on 1t.
As some one has put it, II taxes
poverty in proportion to it's needs
and the more tax proverty pays the
more wealth gains in unjust eNemp-
tion. II Is easy of demonstration
that the only real beneficiary of the
tariff is the sugar trust. The grow
ers are deluded into the belief that
| If IL were not for the tariff the trust
would pay them less for their cane
and heets. Yet IL would be difficult
for anyone to conceive why the
trust, which dominates the market
and fixes all prices, would pay more
under any circumstances than 1t
was compelled to do.
No balder, holder bit OF brlgandage
than the sugar schedule reveals can
be found In the whole tariff bill.
The American people consume an
nually a per capita of eighty-one
pounds OF sugar. Every pound of
this passes through the hands of
the sugar trust and the other REIN
cries that accept its price dictation
and, never warning with II, may well
he assumed as part of IL. The
tariff on refined sugar Of standard
quality Is Sl.90 n hundred pounds,
which is just n littleless than 1t costs
to manufacture hundred pounds of
cane sugar. This is deliberately
placed that high in order to shut
ont refined sugar: That il is eifec-
tive Is shown by the fact that In
! 1907 but 2lg tons We're imported,
while last year there were but 40.
! In order to still further entrcnch the
trust in its position, the tariff bill
provides that no sugar may he I'M
ported unless II Is of a certain stand
ard color, which means that II must
he in a certain state of rnwness that
renders It unstable except to the
sugar refiners. This Is important
because three-iorths of the sugar we
consume is imported. So important
is 1t that the price of all sugar Is
based upon the price of this dutch
standard" in New York.
An examination of the sugar
schedule proves the truth of the
contention of Senator Clay of Gcor-
gia IN his recent speech, when he
said that the tariff is 50 adjusted
that for every dollar collected IN
duties, the trust can and does exact
more than dollar of profit from
consumers.
Here is how the tariff ON sugar, a
necessary of life, affects price: The
average wholesale price in Hamburg
In 1905 was 2.G4 cents; in New York
il was 4.gG. The trust has frequently
sold sugar for export, it's surplus
for three cents pound, because the
tariff shut out the foreign refinei
from the home market and enabled
the trust to compete elsewhere
That the trust gets the greater part
of the tax Is proved by this compn
tation: There are approximately
10 900 900 persons in the United
States, each of whom consumes
: eighty-one pounds. The average
difference In price of sugar between
Hamburg and New York for ten years
has been | 80 cents n pound. Multi
ply this by the amount of sugar con
sumed and II means difference OF
Slgi, OCO, 900 year. OF this sum the
government collected and received by
} reason of the tariff So, 600 600. The
other SS3 ,OOO, 900 was taken by the
trust MS it's share of the tariff loot.
Stated In other terms If the tariff
were removed tiLlitIN ~ WYNN
cheapon the cost of sugar to every
consumer nearly = cents pound
and deprive the government of but
So, OOO, 900 of revenue. If the sched-
ules were fixed upon strictly re-
venue basis, sugar would he reduced
about - per cent in price. Protec-
ton to the extent Of SS} ,OOo,OOO II
wear IL given the trust, which stands
convicted of rohhing its bcnefactor
by short weights. The schedules
as now arranged give it the lawful
right to exact that amount in tribute
from the consumer and it's character
as n monopoly makes it possible for
Il 10 decide how much OF that
amount It will give the cane and
beet growers. C. u. q. in The Com
mOner.
| r,Lo,,,harla;nra CouVh Remedy the