Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-03-05
SEEKING
TO KILL FREE SUGAR
He Makes Final Effort in eau
Gus to Defeat HardWiCk'S
Bill
BY RALPH SMITH.

.
man Underwood will present to the
Democratic caucus this afternoon a bill
for the revision of the sugar schedule
which has been drafted by the ways and
means committee and which provides for
free sugar without any internal revenue
tax scheme or any bounties for the sugar
planters Of the country. 1t is contended
by the Democrats that the passage OF
this measure viii mean asaving of
cents a pound on sugar to the Ameri-
can consumer.
The Atlanta Journal was the first and
only newspaper in America to announce
yesterday the adoption of a free sugar
schedule by the ways and means COM
mittee.
HOW COMMITTEE STOOD.
The committee reached an agreement
on sugar Wednesday afternoon, after
weeks of work and many disagreements.
Representative Francis Burton Harrison.
of New York, is credited with having
made the motion for free sugar in the
committee which finally prevailed by a
vote of nine to five. Those voting for
free sugar were Randell. of Texas; Harri-
son, of New York; Kitchin. of North
Carolina; James, of Kentucky; Rainey,
of Illinois; Dixon, of Indiana; Peters, of
Massachusetts,, and Palmer, of Pennsyl-
yania. Those voting against free sugar
were Chairman Underwood, Representa-
tives Brantley, of Georgia. Hughes, of
New Jersey; Hull. of Tennessee. and
Hammond. of Minnesota.
The present duty on sugar yields $5S.
100000 in revenue annually and to make
up the great loss in revenue occasioned
by placing sugar on the free list the eau
Gus will be asked to consider bills to
impose duties on raw silk and manu-
featured products. rubber and laces. The
Democrats will make the users of luxu-
ries, including the women who wear silk
stockings, bake up the $53,OO0,OO0 loss.
Automobile tires also may be hit The
duties thus levied it is estimated will
raise a revenue of approximately $54.
100000 annually.
HARDwICK THE VICTOR.
Representative Hardwick of Georgia,
is credited with practically all of the
glory that attaches to the free sugar
bill. He started the movement in the
house at time when it seemed certain
that the way and means committee
would report bill providing for a rev.
enue duty. He enlisted the support of
several members of the committee. at
the same time building up a sentiment
among the rank and file for free sugar.
1t finally became apparent that unless
the committee yielded to the demands
for free sugar bill it's work would be
rejected and overthrown by the Demo-
cratic caucus
While the free sugar bill will I'M
questionably provoke a hard fight in
today's caucus, Mr.. Hardwick, with the
help of the Democratic members of
the ways and means committee, is sat
ished that the bill will be sustained in
caucus.
HOKE SMITH FOR 1T.
Senator FIoke Smith is pleased with
the success that Mr.. Hardwick has met
with in his fight in the house for free
sugar. He was among the first to con-
graduate the Georgia member eoday
when it became known that a free sugar
bill would be presented to the caucus.
He said:
81 believe that the wealth of the
country should. as far as possible, be
made to pay the taxes and that in our
tariff taxes we should seek to collect
the taxes from those things used in
proportion to wealth rather than in
proportion to population
sugar is a commodity used by the
masses OF the people. A tax which in
creases the price of sugar is collected
generally from all the people, with lit
tie reference to the amount of their
property.