Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-02-22
KITCHIN FAVORS
EMPHATIC REPEAL
OF FREE SUGAR
House Leader Draws Bill So
That Action Will Be "Revok-
ing," Not "Suspending"
BR0USSARD RESOLUTION
WAS ALMOST IDENTICAL
Proposal for Consumption Tax
Bobs Up Again But Indus
try Can Meet 1t
rspecisi star.D ulIstin Correspondsncsl

a WASHINGTON, ID. C., FeD. 3.-A
bill providing for the repeal Of the
free sugar clause of the tariff law will
pass the house very shortly, in the OPP
inion OF Claude Kitehin, the Democrat
&c leader. Mr.. Kitchin himself will
introduce the bill. He anticipates
that II will be passed without serious
opposition.
In making this announcement today
Mr. Kitchin has made possible, In the
opinion OF those acquainted with the
cane sugar industry. the opening OF
sufficient credit to the sugar planters
20 guarantee making the largest crop
in the. history Of the industry In the
United States
The bill, which is now before the
ways and means committee, Of which
Mr.. Kitchin IL chairman, reads as fol-
lows:
Resolved by the senate and house
OF representatives Of the United
States Of America In Congress assem-
bled, That the final proyiso of para.
graph III, schedule K, of the act OF
October 8, 1918, entitled, An Act to
reduce tariff duties and to provide
revenue for the government, and for
other purposes commonly known as
the Underwood bill. and reading as
follows: Provided further, That on
and after the 1st day Of May, 1916, the
articles hereinbefore enumerated In
this paragraph shall be admitted free
OF duty be, and the same is hereby
revoked.
This Is word for word the joint reso-
luton introduced in the senate Janu-
AIRY g.. by Senator Broussard Of Louis.
lana, with the exception that the last
word OF Senator Broussard's resclp.
tlon was suspended. Mr.. Kitchiu
changed this 70 revoked" because he
con1iaefs iI q stronger word and so
it may convey the idea clearly that
the action provided Is conclusive. lie
IL anxious 20 avoid any discussion OF
proposals TO limit the life of the re-
peal
Committee FaSers Bill.
A majority Of the members OF the
ways and means committee has sig
nified its intention to report favor
ably on this bill. Owing to the ne.
cessity Of giving prior attention to
the federal tariff board bill and other
matters that are being urged at this
time III will not be possible to reach
this bill until next week. Another
week probably viii have to expire be-
fore It can be brought before the
house.
Senator Broussard has, been sub.
iected to considerable criticism for
having introduced his resolution
Most Of this came from the friends
of sugar who felt that he should not
have agitsted the matter at this time.
Senator Broussard feels, however,
that the adoption by the Democratic
leader OF his resolution for the text
of the bin be viii introduce yindi.
Gates his own action in keeping the
matter prominently before Congress
Sugar Industry Optimistic.
The announcement today by Mr..
Kitchin marks the emerging OF the
sugar industry from one Of the most
menacing Of the many Universities
akainst which Il has had to struggle
since the time Of its introduction into
Louisiana In 1851 by LIE Jesuit faith.
ers. It means, according to the best
OF authority. the planting OF q larger
acreage Of cane In Louisiana than
ever before has been planted. Under
fairly suspicious conditions 1t is ex-
pected that a yield Of 100000 tons
wIll result II will mean that sugar
lands that had fallen from q valua.
ton OF $40 and $50 to $40 and $12 an
acre viii regain their former value.
The domestic sugar industry sui.
Tered particularly severely when
sugar was slated for the free list.
While It was expected that the
Payne-Aldrich duty would be pared
down somewhat, bankers and planters
in Louisiana were not prepared for
the action Of Congress in ruling that
It should come in duty free after May
/. 1916. This 80 impaired credits and
upset business that it seemed certain
that the greater part Of the 100000,
900 invested In this industry in Louis
lana would be lost The coming Of
the war in Europe gave the sugar
planters an unexpected opportunity to
continue raising cane profitably and
the same influence working through
the United States treasury is respon-
sibie for the forthcoming repeal of the
Law removing all duty from sugar.
The present duty on sugar, which
will be continued Indefinitely If Mr..
Kitchin's bill becomes law, is 1.Ol
cents per pound on sugar from Cuba,
which enjoys 20 per cent differen
tial. and 1854 cents per pound on sug