The Hawaiian gazette., 1914-03-27
LOUISIANA IS
NOT GIVING
. UP FIGHT
Application Is Filed in United
States Supreme Court by Attor-
ney General Of State for Permis-
sion to File Suit Testing Valid
ity of Cuban Preferential Rate
Of Twenty Per Cent on Sugar.
By Ernest @. walker.

(Mail Special to The Advertiser)
WASHINGTON, March THE State
Of Louisiana, through her attorney gen
eral Rufiin @. Pleasant, went into the
United States Supreme Court today and
asked permission to file suit to en-
join the secretary Of the treasury from
granting Cuban sugars a preferential
OF twenty per cent below the new rate
on sugar provided for in the Underwood
IarIn Law, which went into effect
March /. g..,.
The domestic sugar interests have
been conducting night, ever since Pres
ident Wilson convened congress In spe-
ufal session a year ago, to prevent the
new tariff rate on sugar being imposed
until the 19l3-l4 crop was marketed.
III Q Louisiana interests, by reason Of
the very vigorous fight put up by the
two senators from that State, succeeded
in securing a postponement Of the I'm
derwood rate until March /, 1914, but
the sugar interests have steadfastly
maintained that this gave the American
producers no real benefit, for they fore.
saw that purchasers OF sugar would stay
out of the market until the new rates
went into effect and for this reason the
American producers have been all along
endeavoring to secure postponement
Of the rate until the end of the current
fiscal year, June 30.
While the beet people have partici-
pated in the fight and the colonial in
terests, representing the Hawaiian and
the Porto Rican producers, have also
lent their sympathy 10 this movement,
the fight has been principally carried on
here through the Louisiana people, be-
cause that State is the only Democratic
commonwealth whose senators went to
the length Of opposing the administra-
tion in order to secure better treatment
for American grown sugar The two
Louisiana senators, il win be remem
bered, were the only members Of thai
body to vote against the Democrats on
the final passage Of the Underwood
Law.
Sought Extension Of Time.
After the law went into effect ON DC.
tober 3 last, the Louisianans, acting
through their headquarters here, endea-
vored to secure postponemept Of the
date from March ! to June 80 by hav-
ing resolutions TO that effect introduced
by Congressman Estopinal, Of New Or
leans. A vigorous campaign was carried
on among members Of congress to secure
this extension and while very strong
sentiment was built up, still II was not
sufficient to accomplish the purpose in
tended.
The Louisiana interests thereupon de-
cided to take the matter into the Su-
preme Court. On December 20, the day
that congress adjourned for the holi.
days, Congressman Estopinal, acting on
behalf Of the Louisiana people, intro
dnced a resolution asking what rate the
secretary of the treasury intended to
impose on Cuban sugar after March l
and also asking the secretary of state
to inform congress IL the United States
had notified the Republic Of Cuba Of
the change in the tariff law affecting
sugar, as was provided for In the RECT
proeity treaty negotiated in 1909.
This resolution was the prelude to
the legal steps which the Louisianans
instituted and have been pressing Wig
orously ever since.
One of the first things done when con-
gress re-convened after the Christmas
holidays was to put the matter squarely
up to the treasury department. Senator
Ransdell, of Louisiana, accompanied by
Paul j. Christian, the Washington rep
resentative of the Louisiana interests,
early in January called upon Assistant
Secretary Hamlin, of the treasury de-
partment, in charge Of customs, and pre-
sented the domestic producers side Of
the case. Mr.. Hamlin asked Mr.. Chris
than to prepare brief setting forth his
contentious and especially stating the
Legislative history Of the sugar leeisla-
ton as carried in the Underwood Bill.
This request was complied with and on
January 2l Mr.. Christian submitted a
brief on behalf Of the Louisiana inter.
ests.
Taken to Highest Court.
The treasury department kept the
matter under consideration several
weeks without being able TO reach a
conclusion on the points presented by
Mr.. Christian and some three weeks
ago transmitted it TO the Departments
of Justice, with n request for decision.
| While the matter was pending before
the department of Justice, the Louis.
lana people decided to change their
method Of attack. The State of Louis
lana employs her entire convict force
N operating State.owned sugar planta-
tions and maintains large modern re-
fnery on Angola plantation, at the june
ton Of the Mississippi and Red rivers.
This fact, IL was contended, enabled
the state Of Louisiana to take the ease
directly to the United States Supreme
Court and thus avoided the long legal
delays that would have followed had
the original intention of bringing
test suit in the United States district
courts based on an importation of Gu.
han sugar by an importer in New Or
leans been carried out The Lonisian-
ans decided to have Attorney General
Pleasant Of that State come on to Wash
iington and institute proceedings in the
/ highest court. Some ten DAYS ago he
reached the National Capital and In
comranv with Senator-elect Broussard,
of Louisiana. and Mr. Christian. repre-,
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