The Washington times., 1912-11-28
REVISION Of SUGAR
TARIFF LIKELY TO
B0THERDEMOCRATS
Wilson Men Face Situation
OF Having Too Much
Money In Sight.
~ JUDsoN c. wELIIvIR,


sugar. ever and always the nemesis
or tariff makers. the scandal storm.
ocnter OF one session after another
wnsn schedules were revised. looms up
Win Threats Of being Just - trouble.
some 20 ever to the trainers Of the Wi.
son Administration's revision.
Tne trouble 10 that the Democratic
sevisers face the unique situation "
nsvin9 too much money In sight. There
would be . troublesome and worrisome
:urplus In the Treasury right now. II
u ned not been for considerable drafts
which the Panama Canal has absorbed.
1ne canal will soon be completed.
SUGAR produces something over go.
W. OF revenue annually. 90 long a.
tne excuse could be advanced. that this
money was needed. there was no great
Smoarrassment about keeping the duty
naSh. and thus satisfy the Sugar Trust,
tns best sugar people. and the Louisi-
ana osns interest.
But the prospect now 10 that there 10
coing to be more monney in sight than
tne Democrats will know what to do
with. That's because Of the income tax.
Ths sssling 10 strong that an income
tex measure must be written into he
tari6 act. because the income tax 10
popular. and It 10 expected to help fioat
the tart6 revisions: sort Of lfe.pre-
server. a. II were.
NO matter how mild.mannered and
modest may be the revision Of sched-
ules, Democrats recognized that It, will
bs blamed for lot Of things by the
ctandpstters and the extreme protec-
uonists. They think that II an income
IN nRNVlalnv e. lcn T.. a. 49,
viAion will constitute a piece Of now
constructive work that the party may
point to with pride. and distract some
ulss.
Question For Worry.
But II they raise 500. 900 by an in
como tax measure. how will they avoid
pairing the sugar schedule decisively?
That 10 the question that is already CIV
Ing worry. The report already circu-
Ates In informed circles. that the bunch
OF new Western Democrats from beet
sugar States that will land in Washing
ton March 1 will be on the lookout to
preserve the protection on their indus.
Try. That means Colorado, Montana,
Kansas. Oregon. at least.
Louisiana always has two high.tarin
votes when sugar 10 affected. The
reclining interest Is powerful in unex-
pected places. In short. the question
whether there can be any effective re-
duotion In the sugar schedule IL getting
already to be regarded a. grave. Yet.
II It Isn't reduced, It will 90 on produc.
ing lot Of revenue that ID likely to be
quite unnecessary.
Tho revenue problem In making the
l. L. 20
one. In considerable number OF
schedules. duties will have to pruncd
down In such fashion that they will &C.
tuallv add to the revenue from particu.
lar articles. A prohibitive duty pre-
vents revenue being collected: half that
duty may permit some importation. and
thereby produce revenue. This is Just
th6 difficulty the Democrats confront.
1t II true Of the linen duties. the manu-
factured woolen duties. and Of good
deal In the cotton schedule.
Result of Free Wool.
Free wool would lop of about as much
revenue as the presnt sugar tariff pro.
duces ;but It 10 still very doubtful whether
wool can be placed on the free list.
Like sugar, 1t is largely local ques-
tion." and a big fight will be made to
prevent It. with the insistent proclama-
ton that free raw wool provision will
operate to destroy all chances Of the
Democrats holding some wool States
where they are now In good shape. and
from which they hope to capture some
Senators in 1914.
The sugar situation IL complicated by
the fact that some Of the tropical manu-
facturers of sugar-notably in Cuba
are now beginning to manufacture re-
fined sugar In their primary factories:
which does not require refinement be-
fore 1t can be put into trade. II this
continues to any large extent. II will
injure the refining interest greatly. All
these influences are moving the combi-
nation Of sugar interests to make q
desperate fight this year.