New-York tribune., 1912-03-01
FREE SUGAR PROBABLE
Democrats Revising Schedule
Under Pledge of Secrecy.
HIGHER DUTIES ON SILKS
Committees Dark Lantern
Methods Arouse Indignation
Three Plans Discussed.
lrrrm Tho Tribune 'jurcsu. !

lil fiU lN' iiibeiF 'pi'aHsl
Washington. Feb. Gan agreement
| among the Democrats of the Ways and
Means Committee to put sugar on the free
list is the information that came to-day
from the recesses Of the committee room,
where every member todk pledge 70 keep
secret the details of the sugar revision Ji!l
which will be presented TO the Democratic
caucus tomorrow night.
Despite the silence of the members OF the
committee. so-cslled free sugar Demo
Gratis of the House to-day smiled KNOWING
ly when the schedule was mentioned. and
Representative HardwIck. Of Georgia, who
proposed free sugar and higher silks,
expressed the belief that he had won the
fight. /.
II is reported that the Ways and Means
Committee will recommend duty-free sugar
and that the resultant loss in revenue VIII
be eouaIized by high duties on silks and an
ad valorenf tax of from II to 10 per cent
on raw rubber.
The Democrats believe that free sugar
will be a great campaign argument win
the man who presides over the breakfast
table. who is not expected to care II the
tariff is doubled on silk stockings ana other
silk articles. It is understood that the
rate on silks will be increased TO ap-
proximately 30 per cent ad valorem'
For weeks the Democrats of the Ways
and Means Committee have been dead
locked on the sugar schedule. the DIVER
gent views finally resulted I'm the PRIOR re-
port of the chemical schedule. which passed
the House while the majority still wrah-
gled ovc: sugar Until to-day. 1t Is learned
the Democrats had three separate plans
Under advisemcnt one provided for l-cent
sugar. with hlghe" rates on rubber and
silks. or an Internal revenue tax on sugar
another schedule suggested a rate of 80
cents a hundred on sugar, with an INTERNAL
revenue tax, and third scheme was to
make sugar free. as campaign arsu-
ment. taxing rubber and silk to the limit.
The latter plan is reported to have peeh
accepted. Representative Hardwick. VINO
is not a member Of the Ways and Means
Committee, but who was chairman OF the
special committee which investigated the
Sugar Trust. said to-day:
The sentiment among the Democrats or
the House is overwhelmingly In favor OF
free sugar. II the Ways and Means Com
mttee should fail TO bring In free sugar
bill the free sugar adherents would win
out in the Caucus anyway An Informal
poll conyinces me that there will be ma
iority OF fifty for free sugar In the caucus
and I regard the removal or all DUTY on
that product assured
IL Is significant that the caucus call
issued tonight announces caucus on
Schedule T. and other schedules This
strengthens the belief that free sugar is
the keynote OF the next tariff revision DILL
and that the "other schedules" referred to
arc rubber and silks, which must he heav-
fly taxed 70 compensate for the loss or $50
10000 in sugar revenue.
Representative Broussard, of Louisiana
after attempting to find out directly from
Mr. Underwood what the report would be-
issued statement attacking the ways
and Means Committee for the secrecy.
The secret caucus-the dark room
opera tions-the blind mans bun meth
cd OF legislation he said, will not
answer modern thought on matters af-
fectng the public welfare. fail to
sec tho force OF this II n man is doing
right thing he should invite criticism.
This is legislation by caucus. with every
member blindfolded. I informed Mr.. I'm
derwood that that system of legislating
would not do J. for one, will not stand
for it, The people OF the country have
right to know what is going on here