Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-06-19


contemplated regarding sugar and other
commodities. The democratic caucus
placed me on the Philippine committee,
think, in 1913, where / urged the ABOVE
views.
Favors Lower Sugar Duties.
Il have always favored a reduction OF
the existing high duties on sugar to q
| moderate revenue basis, but fear tina,
free listing will cripple the beet sugar In
| dustry, the hope of the arid west. and
throw our entire sugar production tc
Cuba, whose imports to our country have
vastly increased, Notwithstanding the
high duty imposed l believe that 1t Is ar
economic mistake to turn over SO I'M
portant a food production to a foreign
country and that the ultimate result VIII
be a rise in price which will offset any
present advantage through reduction OF
duty.
I'm this contention the sugar rehnerles,
including the sugar trust, the Spreckels
and Arbuckles. are on one side, and the
beet sugar factories on the other. |
condemn the methods and practices of
both as disclosed by the evidence, OF
which ! had little realization till recently.
but / still insist that the farm Industry
of beet growing%is to be classed among
the legitimate industries which the demo
cratic party has promised In its platform
not to injure or destroy. and that while q
material reduction should be made, demo-
cratic action should not either seriously
cripple or destroy it.
II favor simply an extension of the
principle which the President has APP
piled should be made, and that a longer
period of gradual reduction in duty
should be made to a low-revenue basis. =
Tells of Grocers' Committee.
Frank c. Lowry was recalled to the
stand TO continue his explanation Of his
part in the campaign for free sugar
Lowry said he went with Smita and
Shipper. a New York firm. which
acted as agents for the Federal Refining
Company, in 1900. He had nothing to do,
he said. with the Cuban reciprocity cam
paign and his first interest in the sugar
fight was at the beginning of former
President Tafts administration.
Were you for free sugar from the
Philippines or against it,
Lowry explained that refineries did not
take any decided stand in regard to Phil
ippine free sugar He said he expressed
the opinion that a limitation to 3OO,OO
tons would stifie the industry.
Lowry said his first circular in his cam
paign was issued in December before
Tafts inauguration.
Lowry said he did not have the cor
respondence that preceded the formation
of the committee of wholesale grocers.
He wrote to probably thirty or thirty-f1ve
of the $500 in the United States about the
formation Of the wholesale committee.
You might have allowed the wholesale
grocers in whose interests you were to
act to know about this said Cunfmins-
Il had enough on the committee, said
the witness. 'Everybody's business Is
nobodys business
Frank c. Lowry Called.
Late in the afternoon the committee
temporarily gave up the examination
into the sugar protection lobby and
called before it Frank c. Lowry OF
New York, who directed much Of the
free sugar lobby under the association
name of the committee. of wholesale
grocers. Mr.. Lowry admitted he was
employed by the Federal Sugar Rein
ing Company and that free sugar would
benefit the cane sugar refineries. Mr..
Lowry testified that he was general
sales. egent Of the Federal Sugar Re-
timing Company, that his salary was
$4,000 a year and that commissions
brought his salary close up to $4,000
q. year.
He said he really was employed by
Smith & Shipper of New York, firm
company. He thought that the ref1n-
ers paid $1,000 of his salary and the
agents the remainder. Senator Cum
Minis. who conducted his cross-exami-
nation. brought out that Lowry is
connected with the committee Of
wholesale grocers'' which has iguree
largely in the fight for free sugar or
a reduction in duty on that article.
L have never, received any money
for any tariff work at ALL" said Lowry
The witness said he couldn't remem-
Der whether he went into the sugar fight
at the suggestion of C. A Spreckles,
president of the refining company. or
whether he suggested that Spreckles go
into the fight. He said the refiners were
interested in free sugar. or reduced du-
ties, because 1t meant an increased con-
sumption of refined sugar. After many
questions by Senator Cummins he ad-
mitted that the refineries would get more
business if the duty was removed and
beet sugar production and refining in
this country curtafled.
Other Witnesses.
Other witnesses yesterday were Henry
A. Austin, clerk to. Palmer; Charles Ben
theim. a craftsman and interpreter In
Palmer's office, and Benjamin s. Piatt
enrolling clerk of the Senate.
\ Through these witnesses the commit
tee endeavored to find out who was re-
sponsible for what 1T believes was a
in the much discussed document
Sugar at q Glance" About the only
definite information it got however,
was that Platt had been connected
with the Senate for twenty-six or
twenty eight years, that he had never
seen the order and that Palmer had
sent a special copy OF the pamphlet
to many. prominent men in Germany,
including Emperor William.
Austin testified that Sugar at q Glance
had cost the United States beet indus.
try $24,S2O.39, of which $1.942.9O had
gone to the government printing office.
In examination Of Palmer several days
ago Senator Reed brought out that the
postage saved the beet men by send
ing the pamphlet out under Senator
Lodges frank amounted to about $2S,-
0OO
The committee last night granted
the request Of Melville Il. Stone of
New York, general manager of the AS
ISOLATED Press. who asked to be allow
ed to testify tomorrow regarding
claims made in sore of the Hamlin
letters. produced vest rday. as to the
publicity the beet sugar interests
hoped to secure through the Associate
Press.
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