Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-15
EAVORS LESS. TARIFF
American Sugar Refining Com
pany Goes on Record.
CONCERNS RAW MATERIAL
Retention of Deferential Duty on Re-
fined Product Urged, However.
SUBJECT OCCUPIES HEARING
House Ways and Means Committee
Concerned Today Only With That
Feature of Proposed Revision.

The free sugar plan of the House demo-
Gratis, regarded by leaders as one of the
virtually assured features of the tariff
revision program of the coming extra
session of Congress. so far as the House
is concerned. focused attention on today's
hearing before the House ways and means
resent the American Sugar Refining Com
Atkins as it's spokesman, the beet sugar
and other interests
The House democrats claim that placing
sugar on the free list may save American
consumers S115,OOO,OO0 annually. while the
republicans. charging that free sugar
would surrender an important industry to
foreign importers, assert that it would de-
prive the government of more than $50
OOO,O0O revenue. The free sugar PROPOSE
ton is coupled with the excise tax bill as
an offset to loss in revenue Meanwhile
If two more states ratify the income tax
amendment to the Constitution the ex-
else tax bill will not be pressed.
Schedule Of Last Session Basrs.
The tentative basis of revision is the
free sugar schedule Of the bill last session
that failed of agreement between the two
houses. and would admit, free of duty
sugars. tank bottoms. sirups of can juice,
melada, concentrated melada, concrete
and concentrated molasses. molasses gen.
orally, maple sugar. maple strip, refined
strip, glucose or cape sugar, and sugar
cane.
1t would tax. saccharin 60 cents a
pound, sugar candy and other confec
tionery valued at ID cents pound or
less and sugars after being refined, when
tinctured, colored or In any way adul-
terated, cents pound or if valued
at more than ID cents pound % per
cent ad valorem.
The tariff on sugar now amounts to
about 112 cents a pound, say the demo-
Gratis in basng their estimate of the effect
of the free sugar proposition. The House
leaders are not sure Of free sugar in the
Senate.
Favors Reduction in Tariff.
The American Sugar Refining Company
went on record at the outset of today's
hearing in favor Of a reduced tariff upon
sugar and the retention Of the small def
erential duty upon refined sugar, 'if pro-
lection is to be accorded to any indus
try" and the continuance Of the pres
ent color standard as the most practical
distinction between raw and refined
sugar for customs house classification.
1t opposed the abolition of all duty
upon sugar on the ground that 1t would
destroy at once one of the largest
sources of revenue. The American COM
pany's position was presented by Edwin
F. Atkins, vice president and acting
head of the company. who was accom-
panied by several other officials.
Mr.. Atkins contended that abolition of
all duty on all sugar would cause the
termination of the, Cuban reciprocity
treaty under which Cuban sugars get a
preferential rate of 20 per cent and Cuba
gives preferential rates of 20 to 40 per
cent upon goods coming from the United
States. He also declared that free sugar
would open the United States markets to
the Importation of refined beet sugars
from Europe Upon the same terms as
raw sugars, in competition with domestic
refines.
Would Destroy Local Industry.
'.Free sugars, while present production
is maintained, - he said would drop
prices here SO low as to detroy the
Louisiana industry. the beet sugar indus
try, particularly east Of the Mississippi
river. would depress Porto Rican and
Philippine sugar far below their produc-
ton cost. and make Hawaiian production
Improbable. thus largely curtailing our
present sources of supply.
"Once this production Is so reduced.
declared Mr.. Atkins, foreign prices
would advance until domestic producers
could again enter the field, and mean
while disaster would be widespread and
consumers would get but temporary
benefit"