San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-03-29

opinion that outside influences fore,
the price Of sugar upward and hi'
| instruction 10 the tariff commission
| is intended 10 answer the critics who
have been arguing that the tariff was
| responsible.
Politically it is very important IL
disassociatc the idea of an increased
cost of living from the duties Of the
recent tariff law enacted by the Re
publicans, and Mr.. Harding is not
willing to permit the impression Of Il
connection between the two IA 80 IN
challenged.
Mr.. Harding is rot preiuIging tho
case and will revise his opinions and
proclaim 4 reduction in duty if by
chance the tariff commission does dis
cover that the increased duty led To
the high price of sugar.
Tariff Not ut Fault.
The Republican National Commit
tees contention. in its recent state
ment that if sugar advanced a few
cents pound after the tariff law was
passed, the tariff could not be held
responsible for succeeding advances.
is looked upon here naturally as sound
reasoning. There is another way,
however by which a raise in the tar
if might operate 10 advance prices.
The duty increase might in itself
be slight, but if it is sufficient to dis
courage outside production for the
American market. those who have ac-
cumulatcd in the meantime stocks of
sugar are in position to demand
higher prices at least until the next
crop can come into compete with the
domestic supply.
The investigation by the Depart
ment Of Justice is more likely TO dis
close circumstances of this kind
though it is an open question whether
American sugar interests can be held
capable Of taking advantage of the
operation of the economic laws OF
supply and demand any more than
union labor has ever been prosecuted
for advocating a restricted immigra-
ton. which in the the end. sends the
price of labor upward because of
the shortage created.
But unlike immigration. the Presi-
dent has Il power with relation to
tariff duties on which the sugar in
terestS may not have counted. They
perhaps have not feared a reduction
in duty because they thought the
President would not dare to reduce
the sugar duty after all the argu-
ment made during the last session
Of Congress with reference to the
needs of sugar interests inside the
United States.
Harding Announces Program.
Mr.. Harding, however. most GER
tainly intends to 90 through with the
program announced in his telegram
to Chairman Marvin Of the tariff
commission. If he finds that re-
duction of duty is likely TO bring
about more satisfactory market for
the consumer he will not hesitate to
use the flexible provisions of the tar
iff law, which permit him to revise
a duty downward by 30 per cent.
Sugar is something which touches
every householder and Mr.. Harding
will not, if he can help it, give the
Democrats ammunition whereby they
can lay other economic ills of tine next
year and half to the Fordney-Mc-
Cumber tariff law. The President
has indicated already that he thinks
some of the provisions of the Ford
ney law were unnecessarily high. but
he has promised TO use the powers of
the tariff commission TO make in
quiries and 10 avail himself of the
executive discretion vested in him by
Congress in correcting these defects.
The Republican leaders plan to an
swer attacks on the tariff by saving
they have created bipartisan tariff
commission for the very purpose of
giving the country the facts and for
the additional purpose of advising
the President when rates should be
increased or reduced.
Mr.. Harding therefore enjoys an
advantage which Mr.. Taft did not
have when he admitted that the fam
Gus schedule *" was indefensiblc.
Mr.. Harding can admit an ineouitv
in the tariff today and 20 ahead and
correct it tomorrow long before the
electorate has a chance to voice its
disapproval
Although the President is ready TO
proclaim a reduction in sugar duty.
there is feeling here that the mere
threat of action will bring about
drop in sugar prices. for if once the
duty is cut the sugar protectionists
would have a hard time getting it up
again