New-York tribune., 1909-04-10
PRESIDENT SUSTAINED
FREE .1DIISSION FOR
PHILIPPINE SUG4R.
Finance Committee R0tifes Mr.
Tdft'S agreement 1cith Beet
Sugar Nan.

Washington. April 9-President Taft won n
signal victory fcr the Philippine Islands in the
acceptance by the Senate Committee on Finance
late tonight Of the provision of the Payne bill
FOR the free admission of three hundred thousand
gross tons annually Of Philippine sugar. This
decision was reached after the sub committee
considering the sugar schedule had taken Charles
E Warren. general counsel Of the Michigan Sugar
COMPANY. To the White House and had con
frrned an agreement between Mr.. Taft and Mr.
Warren made in this city last fall. while the
President-elect guest at the home Of
William J Boardman.
After the agreement between Mr.. Taft and
the beet sugar -aisers had been announced. the
right Of Mr.. Warren to speak for the beet sugar
interests was brought into question The House
Committee m Mays and Means accepted Il as
authoritative. and on January 2S adopted a sec
zion in the Payne bill relating 10 free mporta-
ton Of products from the Philippines with
limitation of three hundred thousand tons an
nuamy on sugar. Within the last week this sec
tion has been attacked severely by Representa-
tives from beet sugar states. and it charged
in debate on the floor Of the House that in max
tnE such an agreement MI Warren had assumed
an authority ne did not possess. As result
the question was referred to a subcommittee OF
the Senate Committee on Finance. consisting al
Senators Burrows. SmoCt and Flint
Taft had entered into the agreement in good
faith and that it had gone unchallenged for
many weeks until consideration Of the tariff
bill had been begun by the Committee on
Finance Not willing that President Taft should
be placed in false light. the Senate sub-com-
rittee sulpmoned Mr Warren from his Michi-
san home by telegraph and he arrived at S-S"
O'Clock tonight Accompanied by the three
members OF the subcommittee Mr Warren
vent to the White House at 10 O'Clock and the
agreement OF last fall was confirmed
l-uu details Of the conference tonight could
not be learned. Whether M. Warren was au-
tha-ized To speak for the beet sugar men was
not taken into account II sufficient for
rl7c members of the committee that Mr- Taft
understood that 100000 tons Of sugar should
be admitted from the Philippines annually with
out the payment of duty All other questions
may he fought out between MT- Warren and
his fellow beet sugar producers
An amendment TO the Philippine section pre-
pared by Senators Lodge and Smoot was
adopted b. the Finance Committee. however,
which = designed to prevent the substitution Of
Java sugar OF sugar from other islands in the
Far East and re Importation Of such products
inro The United States free Of duty. This has
been accomplished Ly requiring the collection OF
8 duty equal TO the American duty on all sugar
imported into the Philippines except from the
United states.
The Philippine customs service will he re-
clsired TO keep i strict account Of all exporta-
tiors OF sugar from the islands. and it is be-
lie1ed that this viii afford ample safeguards
FOR the American sugar producers.
II is said that il viii be some time before the
islands can take advantage Of the right TO send
three hundred thousand tons annually TO TINS
country as only about one hundred thousand
tons year are nov produced
After the conference at the White House Mr
Warren said that when he made the agreement
with Ar Taft as To the three hundred thousand
tons Of sugar 10 be imported from the Philip
pines free he spoke for the association of beet
sugar men Despite criticisms of this agree
ment M Warren insists that he represents the
views Of practically all the beet sugar refineries
and that the agreement will prove satisfactory
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