Evening journal., 1916-08-24
REPUBLICANS WILL
FORCE TARIFF BILL
Revenue From Sugar Alone
Will Return Government
$53,OOO,OOO
SHIPPING BILL
IS ANALYZED

Special to THE EVENING JOURNAL.
NEW YORK. Aug. "a. -- Governor
Hughes has made it perfectly clear
that as President he will advocate the
restoration Of the duty on sugar. Ac-
cording TO the Republican view. the
duty on sugar is highly important
because it plays a dual part. protect
ing the beet sugar industry of the en-
tire county and the cane sugar indus
try OF Louisiana. and because it yields
tremendous revenue without impos-
ing any material burden on the con-
sumers. That the sugar tariff can be
made to yield a large revenue has
been certified to by the Democrats In
repeating a portion Of the Underwood
bill which would have put sugar COM
pletely on the free list before it could
go into operation. The Republican
duty on sugar yielded annually S53.-
100000 revenue. This duty, President
Wilson, against the advice OF Repre-
sentative Underwood, and other more
experienced Democrats, insisted upon
abolishing and Congress, supine be-
fore his mandate, incorporated in the
Underwood bill a provision which
would have put sugar on the free list
by successive steps. When, however.
practically IS per cent Of the duty
had been removed the deficit in the
Treasury loomed so large, despite the
special taxes. which had been inn
nnaad fhuf
decided to repeal the clause which
would have abolished the last Of the
sugar duty. and thus avoid a further
loss Of approximately S15.000,00O and
this was done. with the help Of Re-
publican votes. Mr. Hughes now in
dicates that one OF the constructive
policies Of the Administration will be
the restoration of the duty on sugar,
with, presumably, an increase Of the
customs revenues from this one item
alone OF according 10 present rates
OF consumption, nearly $4,000, 900.
Some of Mr. Hughes Democratic crit
ics have been urging him to propose a
constructive policy. This is his an
swer to such criticism.
The Shipping Bill.
Certain readers have written
suggesting that the criticism of the
Shipping Bill was unduly harsh.
that 1t struck them as partisan
rather than just. The truth is
that the severest critics of the
Shipping Bill are Democrats. They
dare not openly crit!cise the
measure because they fear the re-
venge Of the President. and more es-
pecially, Of his son-in-law, Secretary
McAdoo. the real father of the Ship
ping Bin. In proof Of this. note what
the New York Times a Democratic
paper, which is Loyalty supporting
Wilson. has to say. II says OF the
Shipping Bill. which has gone to
conference. 1T is not the old bill. It
may be harmless because futile. but
is still open to a multitude Of obiec-
tions." and again "The Shipping Bill
is a shadow Of its original form as it
approaches enactment Meanwhile the
case against il has grown stronger.
If the bill were to be strengthened
further by the omission OF other
causes OF original OppositionLas, for
example. by the omission Of the use
VI AAANNnA htNnNf III niAAdkNAALAll6
privite enterprise might be ac-
quiescence in the fragment that is
left" The Times. which certainly
cannot be suspected Of Republican
partlsanship in view Of its loyal sup
port OF Mr.. Wilson. does not say that the
only purposes in passing what is left
of the Shipping Bill are C) to save
the face of the President" 90 to pro-
vide places for deserving Demo-
Gratis" at $500 year and expenses; ;
and t3) to make s50,0O0.00O OF Gov
ernment funds available for expendi-
ture by the Administration during the
Presidential campaign. The Times
can hardly be expected to say that.
But it does make perfectly clear that
there is no good reason for passing II.
that there are many valid objections
to IL. and 1t leaves to the common
sense Of its readers to decide what
are the real reasons back Of tho Ad-
ministration's insistence on its pas
sage.
May May a Saving.
That the condemnation which Gov
ernor Hughes has visited upon the
Administration for creating useless
commissions to make places for de
serving Democrats" may be produc-
tive OF good even before March 4th,
is 4ndicated by the report from Wash
ington that certain OF the Democratic
leaders have initiated a movement to
cut the salaries of all members of
special commissions to $780, Ger
tain OF the Democratic leaders pre-
dict the reduction of the salaries of
the members Of the Interstate Com
merce and the Federal Trade Com
missions, the Federal Reserve Board,
the Farm Loans Board and the pros
pective tariff commission to $500, in
conformity with the pay Of members
Of the proposed Shipping Commits
sion. Republicans are very sceptical