Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1909-05-26
PAYNE BILL WILL
BRING NO RELIEF
SENATOR CLAY ATTACKS 81.
GAR SCHEDULE FAVOR.
ING THE TRUST.
Ross TREASURY OF $1,000, 900
AND PEOPLE OF $4,000, 900
ANNUALLY.

aud urging a material reduction in the
duty on refined sugar, Mr.. Clay, OF
Georgia, yesterday discussed at great
length the various phases of the beet
and cane sugar industries. He ar
gued that the consumer is discrimin-
ated against in favor of the American
Sugar Refining company and that the
sugar grower gets no benefit of the
differential between the duties on
raw and refined sugar. He criticised
most severely the manner in which
the sugar schedule of the Payne bill
was framed.
Contending that the American Su-
gar Refining company owns the prin-
| cipal refineries 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 SUI
gar into this country He said that
the beet grower and the can grower
of sugar both are compelled to sell to
the sugar trust at the price which it
! fixes. Comparing the wholesale price
/ of graduated sugar in Hamburg and
| New York, which he said was 2.S1
cents per pound che aper in Hamburg
Mr.. Clay figured tAat the American
consumer pays difference of $780,.
100000 for its re fined sugar Or this,
! he said, the gogornment gets $53, 000,-
| 900 in custom. duties, while he said,
the sugar trGst gets the other SS3, 000.-
900.
The American consumers OF sugar
have paid to the American Sugar Re
sugar trust at least fifty FIVE mil
lions per year in profit" said Mr..
Clay, amounting in twelve years to
100000. The American people
are not aware of the fact that If the
sugar We import came into this coun-
try free of any duty, both raw and re-
fined, the cost of sugar to the Ameri-
can 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 substan-
tial reduction over the rates fixed III
the Dingley law"
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
American 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.
Saying that the American working
man, during the last few years, has
had a hard time to earn a living. Mr..
Clay deprecated the fact that the duty
on refined sugar remains in the Payne
bill substantially the same as it is in
the Dingley law. He said that the
sugar trust had no representative be-
fore the tariff framing committees OF
either the house or the senate and
added. Judging from the treatment
which the sugar trust has received
this corporation needed no represen.
tative before either committee.
Reiterating that the American Su
ear Refining company is commonly
called the sugar trust. Mr.. Clay de
clared this trust has constantly vic
lated both the criminal and civil laws
of our country. 1t is inconscionable
and has continually robbed the Ameri
can people since its organization. II
stead of knocking at the door OF con
gress seeking to increase its fortunes
, at the expense of the masses OF the
/ people by reason of faorablve legisla
ton its officers and those directing
+ atnd controlling its formation and OPP
: Grafton ought to be at the bar OF the
criminal courts on trial for most seri
Gus criminal offanses, and instead o.
: enjoying their ill-gotten wealth, they
/ deserve to be serving long terms IL
: our federal prisons"
r Mr.. Clay reviewed the establish
( ment of the so-called sugar trust
] which was formed. he said. in 1887 b.
the consol idation of twenty OF tins
( leading refneries. While the actua
, yaue Of the property of the trus
2 was not greater than 81 900, 900, &C
cording 10 Mr.. Clay. the sugar trust
: stocked the company at $4,000. 900. III
2 said that the concessions in the duty
+ on raw sugar from the Hawaiian Ii
4 lands, Porto Rico, Cuba and the Phil
. ippine Islands during the. last ter
2 years amounted to 1912. 220,773. o.
which. he said. the treasury Of tht
!, United states or the American people
+ had received no benefit "The mos
grasping aad unconsc enable trust Il
be found anywhere is the American
+ Sugar Refining company added Mr.
! Clay, commonly called the sugai
D trust The steel trust and tht
Standard Oil in point Of dishonest,
and INSCRIPTIONS conduct. are suck
ling babes in comparison with tins
sugar trust
) Mr.. Clay reviewed the various cases
and claims Of the government pending
= against the sugar trust "OficIal,
III represen ing the government wh,
q have made an invest CATION into thes'
3. fraudulent transactions he contin
= ued "teliege hat the American Su
e gar Refining company has robbed th'
tleasurr Of more than - 009 900 justl,
due the treasury. II deserves IA
100, - 49, harSs 81 ron yvaae arr