The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1916-01-07
SUGAR IN POLITICS
HAQENG[ANCE
rs ~ gTgH :. n I'D. s.
Washington SoIons Divide On
Party Lines In Considering
Sugar Duties
'EnmiGS lfEpHHg". g = ~.
Democrats Apparently Favor the
LoWrey Scheme Of Internal
Revenue Taxation

H'"''hs thdb II ldN VI LIZ Genus IeT
pound be levied on domestic sugar.
payable cat the source was made
the subject of resolutions introduced in
the senate by Tillman of South Caro-
lima and Gore Of Oklahoma. .
As a preliminary, Senator Tillman
had a letter from one of his consti-
tnents, J. 7. Leonard of Charleston,
printed in the Record December 10. This
communication follows:
"CHARLESTON. s. G.,
December 3, 1915.
. Hon. R. B. Tillmhn, 4.
"Senate Chamber, Washington, D. C.
my Dear Senator Tillman: In a
formal statement, issued by Secretary
McAdoo of the Treasury last week, il
is estimated that $ll2,S06,394 will be
required for 1917, including 500, 100000
for new measures for NATIONAL defense.
This is upon the assumption that the
present duty on sugar and the present
emergency revenue taxes shall be
continued.
Ilcads Party Politics
az the existing law, under which
the present duty of one cent per pound
on raw sugar ceases May |, 1916, is
amended, and the present duty contin-
ucd, II means that the Democratic
party has failed to keep its prediction
pledge to the American people for the
elimination of tariff subsidies to special
interests.
4 little less than half Of the sugar
consumed in the United States does not
. produce any revenue for the Govern
mCnt; but, on the other hand, shares
with the Government the benefit of the
tariff, Tut at the expense of the con
sumets. In other words, one cent per
pound tax is added to the cost of q
tfttIe mora than 7half the sugar con
sumed, which Is imported, consumers
paying this additional one cent per
poHnd which goes into the Treasury of
toe Cover nmrnt. One cent per pound
$50 added to the cost of the other
little less than half of the sugar con.
shmrd, which is produced within our
borders, the consumers paying this all
aitiOmal one cent also which goes not
into the Treasury Of the Government
hut into the treasury of the domestic
producers,
Not Democratic, He Says
" Here are the figures approximately:
The Government will collect duties on
imported sugars-$46, 900, 900; of this,
SS,oOO,0OO will be refunded as draw
la * on imported sugars which are ex-
ported after being refined, leaving a
net revenue of $3S,OO0000. The addi-
tiomal cost of one cent per pound to
consumers of the little less than half
Of domestic sugars consumed which will
he paid TO domestic producers will
amount to about $3S,000.O0O. This is
in reality an indirect subsidy to domes-
Tie producers, and is in opposition to
the principles of the Democratic party.
The statement says that the "amOunt
can easily be raised by internal taxa.
ton without appreeiable burdens upon
the American people Sugar is not
mentioned as one of the products upon
which such tax could be imposed but
why not let the present law go into eff !
feet May I, 1916, removing the tax
Um sugar imported?
Niger in the Wood pile
Enact a new law taxing all sugar
consumed, domestic and imported, one
cent per pOund2 This would not in
crease the cost to consumers over the !
present plan but would give the gov |
eminent the $3S,00O,0OO which it now
receives and the $3S,00O,000 which the |
domestic producers now receive, or a |
total of $76,OuO,O0O in revenue. II the |
government is satisfied with $3S, 900, 900
revenue on sugar, make the tax only !
OnC-half cent per pound on all consum
ed, giving the consumers the benefit of !
the other $3S,O00,00O.
Did They Make the War
The sugar interests have been very |
prosperous recently, and do not need |
any tariff protection now, if they ever |
needed il; and in consideration of the
benefits they have received in the past
under the protective tariff could not |
reasonably object to lending their as
sistance to the government in collecting
the needed revenue on sugar consumed.
There is probably no revenue the gov
crnment could collect at so little eX
ponse, as it could be collected in lump
sums from the comparatively small
number of producers and refners.
Let the Planter Pay
The $3S,Op0,00 divided among the
100000, 900 people of the United States,
if the tax were made only oue-half cent
per pound, would be so little to each
that, if left to popular vote, it would
probably be decided to let the govern.
mcnt have the full AMOUNT to be usel
for preparedness, And this $40, 0On, 900
would tnke care of II large part Of the
'"'NlO.OOO required for preparedness,
The "prOte"tiOn feature would like.
wise be eliminated. The internal tax
on sugar could be imposed as an emer-