Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-04-05
FIGHTING HARD TO
K|LLFREE SUGAR
Louisiana SoIons Are Notified
Their Public Careers Hinge
on Result.
WILSON'S FINAL DECISION
WILL GOVERN THE HOUSE
Expected to Announce Fate of Three.
Year Plan Today-Wool Men
Also Worried.


Kill free sugar or get out of public
life" is the ultimatum served upon the
Louisiana delegation by some of the big
gest financiers and most powerful politi-
clans of Louisiana, who are desperately
fighting in the last ditch today to throw
out of the Underwood tariff bill the sug-
gestion that eventually there will be no
duty on raw sugar.
Louisiana congressman recognize that
between this afternoon and Monday they
will have to act like an army of giants
to roll back the great burden which they
claim President Wilson's scheme will
place upon the sugar industry. AS has
been published, it is proposed that 1
cent a pound duty be placed on sugar
for three years and that it shall be free
thereafter.
Here comes the tug-of-war. The Presi-
dent is reported as saying that if the
sugar men object to this he will urge free
sugar Immediately. The sugar men re-
tort that they will not eventually OBJ
ject to / cent a pound, but that they
will never stand for free sugar. For
that reason the biggest democrats from
the state are now making big noise
tire disruption of the democratic party in
Louisiana.
Making Eyes at New Party.
The high protection democrats threat
ened to go to the newly formed pro-
gressive party in the House.
Free trade is so sickening to these
high protection democrats that they
would have left the party long ago had
there been any one to receive them ex-
cept republicans, prohibitionists and So
cialists. Now that there is a progressive
party. more than one high protection
democrat from Louisiana has been max
ing eyes at it.
The democratic majority of the ways
and means committee voted unanimously
today to agree to President Wilson's final
decision as to the sugar schedule, and
adjourned to Monday. 1t will agree
either to free sugar or low duty, to be
eliminated entirely in three years. Pres
ident Wilson is expected to make his
decision today.
The democrats must rely entirely upon
their own party in the Senate if a free
sugar schedule is to be passed by that
body. None of the republicans, no mat
ter how progressive, are going to stand
for free sugar. it was said today. Some
of them undoubtedly will stand for
reduction in the tariff on sugar.
Bristow Opposes Free Sugar.
Senator Bristow of Kansas. one of the
progressive leaders. who returned to
Washington yesterday, said today, en-
phatically, that he would oppose as
strongly as possible free sugar
81 may vote for reduction in the
tariff on sugar" said the senator, "but
/ believe that free sugar would imme-
diately put out of business producers
in this country whom we have encour-
aged to put millions of dollars into the
growing of sugar beets and sugar cane
and building refineries.
'I am as much of tariff reforrner as
any of them,'' continued the senator,
"and / intend to vote for reductionsefin
many of the tariff rates. But do not be-
lieve in going blindly ahead. putting, such
articles as sugar on the free list merely
because of prejudice
Would Not Reduce Cost.
Senator Bristow said that free raw
sugar would be in the interest of the
trust which controls tine refineries Of cane
sugar, and that he doubted that it would
to any extent reduce the cost Of sugar to
the consumer.
An absolutely certain development of
the tariff situation is that republicans
in Senate and House are gathering
dent Wilson as to his alleged dictation
of the tariff bill that will be pre-
sented to the House next week. More
over. they are not going to wait long
before they start the attack.
whats the use having Congress-
asked distinguished republican SEN
ator today as he was passing through
the White House grounds.
why are We called here at all? Why
not abolish Congress altogether and vest
the authority in the President TO en-
ploy sufficient clerks to write tariff and
other laws along the lines that suit him?
This is going to be White House tariff
bill and nobody else will figure in ii"
Terms It Wilson Bill.
Then the senator went on to declare
that there had been a disposition among
republicans to confine their criticisms of
President Wilson and the democrats to
their attitude on the tariff as contrasted
with the republican attitude of protection,
but that it was too evident that President
Wilson is making the tariff bill at the
White House and that his consultations
with his Legislative colleagues" are evil
dences OF courtesy without the colleagues
having much to do with the mattor in the
final analysis.
terrific howl in this country If the
White House applied pressure to Con-
gress,'' went on this, senator, ''but
Congress is getting to be little more
than an honorary body, with the laws
all made from the White House. / be-
lieve there Is immense danger to free
institutions in the continuation Of this
course. and that the people will sooner
or later become aroused to the menace
I! of it ALL
President Wilson is prepared for the
| fight along these lines. He thought II
| out long ago and came to the conclusion
| as announced while Governor of New
| Jersey, that the people selected him a.
| their leader and that he represents them
| with responsibilities to them alone.
Wilson True to Pledges.
| Without in the slightest rejecting upon
Congress, the President believes his
| friends say, that the country will looI
| to him for tariff bill embodying tn,
| promises of the democratic platform
| adopted at Baltimore.
| No one or a dozen congressman will b,
| singled out and held responsible IL tn,
| bill is unsatisfactory. 1t will be tn,
| President who must carry the blame.
II he is to shoulder that blame, alons
4 A.