Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1913-01-22
REFINING HEADS
ASK FREE SUGAR
Leading Men of Industry Before
House Committee.
FIGHT OUT TARIFF ISSUE
Testimony Differs, Some Seeking to
Retain Part of Duty to Protect
Business From Foreign
Trade.

Washington, Jan. 17.-At the We'd
hesday hearing before the house ways
and means committee on the tariff,
sugar refiners, beet sugar men, wine
producers and others, appeared in
force to fight out the issue.
Nothing In the committees exami-
nation Of the varying shades of sugar
rate views indicated any weakening
of the Democratic tentative plan for
presenting another free sugar bill for
action by the house at the coming
extra session of congress.
Some of the leading men in the
sugar industry were present. Edwin
H Atkins, the president and act
ing head of the American Sugar Re-
f1ning company, proposed moderate
reduction in the sugar tariff.
Witnesses from California, Colora-
do, Montana, Wisconsin, Michigan and
other states were present to fight for
tariff protection for American beet
sugar interests. r. E. Milling Of Frank
lin, La, pleaded for tariff bars to
avert the death knell of the sugar in
dustry of that state
Former Governor B. M Fernald of
Maine, speaking for rs per cent. of
the fruit canning industry OF the
country, advocated either free sugar
or a reduced rate, while the Arbuckle
Bros. of Brooklyn, through William A.
Jameson, and the Federal Sugar Re
f1ning company, through Frank c.
Lowery, pleaded the free sugar
cause.
Francis K Carey of Baltimore, pres
ident of the National Sugar Securities
company and vice-president of the Ma
tional Sugar Manufacturing company
of Colorado, warned the committee
against throwing beet sugar like
bone to hungry dogs"
He declared that sugar never had
been anything but the football OF
American politics" and urged that
nonpartisan commission be appointed
to consider the economic feature of
the sugar tariff question
T. G. Palmer OF Chicago urged the
committee to make a rate Of two cents
a pound on raw sugar or to leave the
tariff as it stands He said that 81
per cent. of all the beets grown in this
country we're raised by $4,000 or 1907
900 independent farmers, all of WHOM
we're directly interested in the tariff.
isn't it true" Mr.. Palmer was
asked, that the beet sugar companies
In Michigan are in combination?
mo" he said, "the Michigan Sugar
company has six plants"
At the tariff ways and means com
mittee on Wednesday the Waltham
Watch company, alleged to be in the
so-called watch trust" and said to sell
its products cheaper abroad than IN
the United States, was under fire.
E. C. Fitch of Wa1tham. Mass, was
on the stand and his examination
brought about several lively tits with
the members of the committee.
Fitch, testifying that the company
could manufacture watch dials cheap
er than he could buy them abroad,
said the Waltham Watch company was
originally capitalized at $5,00O,0OO;
that it recognized with capitalize
ton of s12,0O0,00O, tangible assets OF
5000, 900 with patents and good Will
worth $2,975,00O
Don't you compel wholesalers to
sell at certain price to retailers!
asked Representative Rainey.
1--WE try to, but don't always sue
coed.