The Taney County republican. (Forsyth, Mo.) 1895-1992, 1915-07-01
Washington Letter

9S uuCn uioBusbSu WAhh NhN ~N'NN''-~
tariff as are sugar-beet growers Of
Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Idaho,
Utah, Oregon and many other beet
sugar states. Although the war has
temporarily helped the beet sugar in
dustry, the closing down Of sugar fac
tories in 1914 gave the beet growers a
lesson which they are not likely
soon to forget. Neither will the cane
growers Of Louisiana soon forget. Mr..
Frank A. Singer, Of New Orleans, was
in Washington last week and had the
following comment to make on the
effect Of the Underwood law on the
sugar industry.
The Democrats will have hard
time explaining that schedule in the
tariff law which places sugar on the
free list next year. Down our way
we believe that there will be action
by the next Congress to restore the
duty on sugar. Some idea Of the
operation Of the new sugar schedule
may be had by statement OF the gov
eminent figures under the Underwood
law. These show that from March /,
1914, when the reduced rate went in
to effect, up to March I, 1915, the
revenue was $49,794,000. For the
same period il the duty on sugar had
not been reduced, there would have
been revenues amounting to $68,O00,-
900, a diferenne ot practically SIS.
100000. The refund for which the
government is responsible under a
decision OF the Court Of Appeals, 5
per cent on all goods coming in over
seas, at this rate, would be SlS,000.'
900. II sugar goes on the free list
May /, 1916, as contemplated by the
Underwood law, there will be an an
nual lots OF duty Of $68, 100000.
Notwithstanding the reduction in
duty and the contemplated placing Of
sugar on the free list, the price Of sug-
ar has gone from s4.70 in June, 1918
to $5.l2 this year."
1t is not from Louisiana alone that
Southern protests against Democratic
free trade are heard. To be sure, it
was Louisiana that made the first open
fght-when it was proposed that sug-
ar be put on the free list-but other
Southern states, having learned by ex'
perience what low tariff or free trade
can do TO injure them, are beginning
to voice their opposition TO ccntinu
ance Of such destructive policy.
Grapefruit producers in such solid
Democratic state as Florida have suf'
fered so severely in the past season
that they are willing 20 break political
affiliation Of long standing, in the hope
Of bettering their condition. Grape
fruit is generally regarded as luxury.
Demand for that article is dependent
largely upon prosperous conditions.
The man out OF job cannot and does
not supply his table with this delicacy,
The Florida grape fruit producer:
were hurt not only by foreign com
petition under the Underwood law,
but by the diminished buying capacity
Of the American people who iound
their income under Democratic admin
istration not commensurate with grape
fruit appetite.
Lumber is another extensive industry
in several Southern states. The mar
ket for Southern lumber was leSsenet
both by importations from Canada un
der Tree trade and by dull times tha
followed enactment Of the Underwood
law. Even The European war has no
materially helped the lumber maaket
North Carolina and Mississippi, amoni
Southern states, were especially afiec
ted by the injury to this industry.
Moreover, several Southern state
have developed considerably in diver
sifed manufacturing. particularly il
cotton goods, furniture, boxes ant
other wood products, iron and steel
With this development has come
steady change in attitude on the sub
ject Of protective tariff. The chang
would have been more rapid but ic
the color question, which has boun
the Southern people to the Demc