Evening star., 1913-04-13
PRESIDENTS PLAN
ON SUGAR UPHELD
Democratic Caucus Votes for
Schedule as Approved by
Wilson.
UNDERWOOD PLEADS
AGAINST PARTY SPLIT
Other Southerners Wage Bitter Fight
for and Against Lowering
Of Duty.

| Tie laTII Dill III H1ueuDle 1dSHIO1I. IL
was the mention Of the chief executive
| in the caucus Of the democrats Of the
House yesterday afternoon, at the cru
cial moment when Representative Hard
wick of Georgia, radical free trader.
was fighting for immediate free sugar,
which marked the elimination Of one Of
the bitterest fights the party has seen.
The proposition to change the tariff
bill and make sugar free Immediately
was overthrown after the most determin-
ed effort, but the significant feature Of
the entire afternoons wordy battle was
the appeal made by stalwart democrats
that the bill as written has the Presi-
dents approval. The sugar tariff, thus
far the greatest bone Of contention in the
entire bill, will remain as the ways and
means committee wrote it-with small
duty for three years and no duty at all
thereafter.
Committee Victorious.
The ways and means committee, with
Chairman Underwood leading it, is vic
torious, and the victory will have untold
moral effect in the deciding of that other
great battle which will shortly follow
when the wool items are reached. That
the ways and means committee intends to
stick together is shown by the fact that
it's democratic members, including such
free traders as Harrison of New York
and RaineH of Illinois, accepted she
gradual reduction as written.
The fight on Hardwick's amendment for
immediate free sugfiar came at the close
of a long day of argument Previous
to this f1ercest fight the caucus had re-
jected other sugar propositions not In hne
with the ways and means commlttee'
aimed principally at retaining a perma-
nent duty. and cache one had shown that
the democratic party has been whipp ed
into line by the leaders.
Final Vote 1855 to 80.
The Hardwick amendment found
friends. but not nearly enough to break
into the alignment behind Representative
Underwood. The final vote was 155 to
80. The caucus did not decide on what
date sugar should go on the free list IN
1916 Representative Hardwick then Of
fered an amendment to set the date at
May 1, 1916 so as to be effective before
the beginning OF the canning season. The
brought up by the ways and means
committee after all the rest Of the tar
iff bill had been disposed Of.
Chairman Underwood, in a ringing
speech, begged the party not .te spit
itself upon the sugar-anastion After
the sugar. schedule had been assailed for
several hours by the representatives from
Louisiana and representatives from
beet sugar districts, Mr.. Underwood ap-
pealed squarely to the party to vote
sugar adjustment proposed by the Presi-
dent is an equitable one.
Chance to Adjust Business.
eve all concede that immediate free
sugar would put the planter out of bust
ness,' he said, ''but free sugar in three
years will destroy no legitimate indus
try The gentlemen who have put their
money into sugar lands and have planted
crops under the policy outlined in the
schedule will have chance to pay their
bills and adjust themselves to the new
conditions before they become effective.
1T is complained of by representatives
from Louisiana that President Wilson S
demand for free sugar in three years Is
not equitable. The Presidents course Is
founded on most equitable basis.
Let us keep this party united. This
is a. party measure and I believe most
this measure pass as 1t comes from the
committee.
AS he took his seat there were cries of
"Vote, vote"
Replies to Underwood.
Representative Dupre Of Louisiana, one
of the leaders of the sugar forces. re-
piled sharply to the majority leader:
"If the entire saving which he says
will follow free sugar." he said. fell on
the consumer, the per capita saving
would be only one-third of cent a day.
"As a matter of fact, only one-third of
H.
sumner, and that means one-ninth of a
cent per day per capita. For this the
committee is willing to annihlate an in
dustry. If the committee is looking for
q revenue tariff that will permit competi-
| ton why are they deliberately cutting off
an annual revenue Of $5O,OOO,OO0 at the
expense of a growing Industry
Would Stand by Wilson.
Representative Rainey of Illinois ap-
pealed to the caucus to stand by the
democratic administration. I'VE have
been fighting republican Presidents" he
warned the democrats, land We ought
not to strike blow at a democratic
President. President Wilson has an
| nounced the provision in this bill, as
presented, as policy of his administra-
ton.
HE has broken the icy barrier between
the White House and the House of Rep
| resentatives that has existed for more
than hundred years by his speech from
the clerk desk of this House. Can we
afford, as democrats. to defeat the first
policy he has announced, the policy of a
| three-year gradual reduction Of the tariff
on sugar?
No Issue Of Free Sugar.
There is no issue Of free sugar On
| this the President of the United States
and the majority Of the democratic side
| of the House are agreed. The ways and
means committee stands absolutely with
| the President. We are for the bill as IL
stands. without dissension. without divi.
sion. Sugar will be free. The only ques-
ton is when it shall be free. now or tc
be reduced this year and next year and
next year and then be free. We ask you
by your votes. not to defeat the admins.
tratiOn.
| The caucus quickly disposed of the to-
| bacco schedule without any change, and
| will take up the agricultural schedule
Monday. when consideration of the bill
| will be resumed at 1:3O o'clock pm. Sew
/ eral fights lie ahead in this schedule
| o;t.us frnitc and -four hejup at icSue