Arizona republican., 1913-08-19
Ruin of Industry i'll Louisi- ana and "Gobbling Up' of Beet Sugar Business of Country by Trust Is Pre- dicted.
BRISTOW WORKS
 FOR AMENDM ENT
Provides for Gradual Re duction on Refined Sugar Until Figure Has Reached $1.26 per Hundred Pounds in 1919.
tAssoCIATED PRESS DISPATCH

 WASHINGTON, August 1S.-Frce sugar was the text of the tariff de- hate in the senate today republican members assailing the democratic proposal to put sugar on the free list in 1916 predicting the ruin of the Louisiana cane sugar industry and 'gobbling up" by the trust of the domestic beet sugar industry of the country. The sugar schedule is expected to hold the attention of the senate for several days No time was fixed for voting on the democratic rates or the amend ments proposed toady by Senator Bristow providing for general re- GUctiOn of the tariff on refined sugar until the figure has reached one dol lar and twentY-siX cents per hundred pounds in 1919. Democratic leaders asserted tonight the BristoW amend ment will be voted down with no democratic votes against the major ity except those of the Louisiana senators. Thornton and RansdeH.
 It was announced intention, BristOW asserted. that the American Sugar Refining Company has abandoned it's plan to acquire the beet sugar fac tories because it had found it would be cheaper and easier to destroy the industry through free sugar than to control it by the purchase of stock"
 Senator Walsh declared the testi- mony of the beet sugar men before lobby committees was in effect that the reason the American Sugar Re flning Company reduced it's holdings ct sugar plants of the West was be- cause of fear of the sherman anti trust law
 William Alden Smith, vigorously supporting the BristoW amendments declared:
 T venture the assertion the Am crican Sugar Refining Company nor any of its owners has not purchased beet sugar stock since the democrats came into power and will not buy any until you have passed the bill and your three years strangulatiOn of the prosecuted beet sugar men has tremendously reduced the price of their stock"
 If the industry is going to be ruined" asked Williams. why should the stock be bought
 Because democrats have a lease of power replied smith, but it is tenn porary and later there will be a re action"
 If this party's lease of power is temporary" Williams returned 'why picture all this despair? Why not pass the bill, turn the democrats out, re-establish your lines and go ahead?"
 Republicans unanimously contended the proposed rates will not chcapen sugar to the consumer
 Senator Cummins said the removal of the sugar duty in 1916 would tend to abrogate the present reciprocity treaty with Cuba because it would abolish the Cuban Sugar preferential, the chief provision of the treaty. He raised the question, however, of whether the proposed law or the treaty would eventually prevail
 Senator Lodge who said he drafted portion of the Cuban reciprocity treaty declared the pending bill made immediate reduction of the sugar rate approximately 20 cents a hundred pounds and this reduction would not be in conflict with the treaty.
 Senator Williams also insisted there was not conflict between the treaty and the bill. The treaty, he safd ap- piled to all imports guaranteeing Cuba the preferential but not pre- venting a change of the tariff rates by law
 Undoubtedly he added. the bill will give Cuba the right to serve no tice of the abrogatiOn treaty if she wants to take that view. But Cuba may concede, as she gets many other things in at preferential rates, it is to her interest to keep this treaty anyhow"