Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-06-09
"Bhnder of Heading Sugar
Toward the Ultimate Free
List Now Appreciated" Says
Washington Correspondent
HOUSE WAYS AND MEANS
COMMITTEE is P0NDERlhG
Determined Fight BY Protection
Advocates Likely to Find
Democratic Majority Acqui-
escent-Revenue Situation
is Becoming More Serious
sy {. s. ALsERr.

Especial star Bulletin correspondence
WASHINGTON, ID. C.. May 2S.-The
matter Of preventing further reduc-
tion In the protective duties on sugar
already has become paramount Is.
sue among statesmen and politicians,
although the assembling Of Congress
a a good six months In the future.
The blunder made in heading sugar
toward the ultimate free list is now
appreciated BY every public man. II
IL resiized that the revenues Tor
maintaining the government must be
produced In some manner.
II is fully realized now that de.
termined fight will begin on Decem,
Der G to obtain such legislation as viii
suspend further operation OF the free
sugar clause OF the Underwood tariff
bin. Moreover, the chances look good
at this time for the success Of such
a fight
The revenue situation brought about
by the European war. viii be the han
dy INSTRUMENT with, which to force
the enactment Of suspension reso-
l.tfon. 4
In this connection, Il is known. that
thera never has been, q widespread or
positive disposition on the. part oil
Democrats TO wipe ont the sugar rates
entirely and IL was only the unswerV;i
ing attitude OF the President and the
members OF his cabinet with respect
20 the question that caused Congress
TO declare l5f free 1ligsr.
liad 4 not been for feeling that.
the prtgIdent would oppose snch y
noFe. there would have been an ef.'
fort made IN the closing days of the
last session 70 legislate to abandon
the idea Of further reducing sugar
duties. ~
"Something must be done about
sugar, said Representative Claude
Kitchin, the new chairman of the
ways and means committee, in an in.
terview Just before adjournment This
was pretty prevalent view Of the
situation among members Of the par.
~ in power.
Sugar, by operation Of the Under
wood act, already has suffered re.
duction OF 25 per cent in tariff rates
The next reduction is due to take ef.
feet May 1. 1916. So in order to fore
stall free sugar Congress must act at
the coming session.
Senator Broussard, Of Louisiana
has announced hts intention to intro
duce q bill In the Senate to suspend
The clause. 1t Il probable. however,
that any Legislation on the subject
which Is successful viii originate on
the House side and go before Con-
gress with the backing of the ways
and means committee.
Mr.. Broussard. who was elected to
the Senate as Democrat, appears to
have jumped into the ranks Of the
Progressives.
The Democratic sugar interests
have started early a campaign to
create favorable sentiment Much lit.
erature Is being sent broadcast. The
plan Of the sugar interests is to inn
press the claim that the sugar indus
try as organized In the United States
10 a legitimate industry and one
worthy OF and entitled to the protec.
tion thst may result from the main
tenance OF what still remains of the
tarih rates. But the. main argument
next year. or course, viii be the esti.
mate that the existing sugar rates
will save an approximate annual reve.
nue. to the government of So, 900 900.
=