Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-18
d States Cuban rate)

United States Cuban rate) ...... 19
Sugar producers in the United States
have never had an opportunity to de-
velop their products to the fullest eX-
tent. After the Spanish-American War
our Government assumed such relations
with the Philippines and the Hawaiian
Islands and Porto Rico and Cuba that
we were compelled to admit the prod
ucts Of the first three without duty and
of the last with 20 per cent reduction
In our tariff rates This has made i'm
possible full development of the sugar
industry in this country. though 1t is
constantly asserted that, II 1t be proper
ly protected it will be brought to such
state Of cultivation within a short
time that the home supply will almost
II not entirely equal home demand,
counting, Of course, the imports from
the Hawaiian Islands, the Philippines
and Porto Rico, which must continue to
come in free.
Higher Rate Demand.
All the farm organizations Of the
country demand a much higher rate
than that proposed by the finance COM
n1ittee largely because they desire to
diversity products produced by Ameri-
can farmers, and at the same time de-
fClOp Ills W QUILL q SOdOS IAldb
the American supply will be equal to the
American demand.
Antagonists Of the increase on sugar
duty allowed by the Republican mem
berS of the finance committee already
are charging that 1t will increase by
from $4,000, 900 to 100000, 900 the an
nual bill Of the American consumers
Of sugar.
The sliding scale of sugar duties, adj
vanced recently by Senator Smoot Of
Utah, chairman Of the finance COM
mittee, as q compromise plan, which in
some quarters was believed to have the
abandoned by the Republican members
Of the committee. There are indica-
tons, however that in some modified
form, the proposal may be taken to the
floor Of the Senate by individual Sena-
tors. The chances Of its adoption,
however, in view of the action Of the
committee and the adverse criticism Of
many witnesses who appeared before
the committee, representing sugar in
terests, are slim to say the least.
Senator Borah of Idaho is still con-
WINGED that an increase in sugar duties
will not be to the advantage of the
Western beet farmer so long as un-
limited quantities of sugar may be i'm
ported from the island possession of the
United States, including the Philip
pines, Hawaii and Porto Rico. He has
not finally made up his mind, however,
to offer an amendment to the bill pro-
viding for sugar bounty to American
producers at q scale that will give them
ample protection while leaving the duty
on imported sugar at lower rate.
Not little will depend upon whether
the beet sugar growers of the United
az 4e1N b. 1A -
plan. II they decide they prefer to
make fight for the straight Hawley
bill rates, and do not care to fight for
a sugar bounty, it Is likely the plan will
not be advanced by the Idaho Senator.
Senator Pat Harrison of Mississippi, q
Democratic member of the finance
committee. through the publicity bu-
reau Of the Democratic national COM
mittee, hayed the work of the Repub-
hcan members on the tariff and attack
ed the letter written by Secretary Slim
son Of the State Department to Senator
Metcalf of Rhode Island, Directing to
communications Of foreign nations to
this Government being called protests"
Senator Harrison asserted that:
What purpose other than q protest
/ could move foreign country to make
diplomatic representations on the sub
ject Of a proposed American enactment?
SECRETARY 0CluSOn expresses the view
that they are merely statistical COM
munications for the information and
consideration of this country. It would
be remarkable thing for any foreign
government to obtrude information for
which no request had been made, con-
corning an enactment by our Congress
except as . protest against such an
enactment.
Secretary stimson lists communica-
tions from the Ambassadors or min
isters of 20 countries. These commune
cations he says, usually touch upon
certain specified commodities which are
Of Importance in that trade It Is per-
fectly obvious that representations con-
corning an American tariff bill would
refer to such commodities. There would
be no reason that Great Britain, for
example, should take cognizance Of q
proposed tariff on anything that did
not affect her people.
Apparently the State Department in
its purpose to help along an admins
tration measure refuses to consider as
a protest anything less than an ulti-
matum."