People's Pilot, Volume 3, Number 51, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 June 1894 — THE SUGAR SCHEDULE. [ARTICLE]

THE SUGAR SCHEDULE.

The Senate Adopts the “Oompromise” Amendment A Majority of Eleven Against Free Sugar and the Duty Is Fixed at 40 Per Cent. Ad Valorem—Takes Effect January 1, 1895. SENATORS VOTE ON SUGAR. Washington, June 6.—The senate resumed consideration of the sugar schedule of the tariff bill Tuesday. Senator Higgins (rep., Del.) opened the debate with a general assault on the sugar schedule and an argument in favor of continuing the bounty provision of the McKinley law. Senator Aldrich (rep. R. I.), alluding to statements made in the senate regarding the influence of the sugar trust in the framing of the McKiniey bill, said that while there was a sugar trust in 1890, it was not the gigantic concern it is now, and speculation in its shares was comparatively trivial. The hour of 1 o’clock arriving, on agreement the vote was taken on Senator Jones’ (dem., Ark.) amendment fixing January 1, 1805, as the date on which the repeal of the sugar bounty should go into effect. This was adopted, 30 to 33.

Senator Allison offered an amendment to reduce the sugar bounty for the remainder of the calendar year to 8-10 of a cent per pound and to make the sugar schedule take effect immediately on the passage of the bill. The three populists this time voted with the democrats. There was no break in party lines and it was defeated—32 to 40. The senate then passed to the next paragraph, 182 X, fixing the duty on sugar. Senator Jones offered the “compromise" amendment fixing the duty on raw and refined sugar at 40 per cent, ad valorem, with a differential of oneeighth of one cent on sugars above 16 degrees Dutch standard and an additional one-tenth on sugars imported from countries giving an export bounty, continuing the Hawaiian treaty in force and imposing a duty of two cents a gallon on molasses. Senator Lodge (rep.. Mass.) offered as a substitute the amendment originally reported by the senate committee on finance fixing a specific duty on sugar, beginning with one cent per pound on sugar testing 80 degrees by the polariscopic test, and graduating the duty according to fineness. Lost —2B to 37 —Messrs. Pfeffer, Allen and Kyle voting with the democrats. Senator Peffer (pop., Kan.) offered an amendment to place all sugar on the free list. Senator Hill (dem., N. Y.) asked if this would precipitate the direct question as to whether sugar should go on the free list or not. and, being informed that it would, said lie hop<-d a recordmaking vote would be had upon it. Senator Hit voted in favor of free sugar and announced that he was authorized to say that Senator Irby, who was absent, would have voted for free sugar had he been present. The amendment was lost by 26 to 37. Two republicans, Senators Manderson and Perkins, voted against free sugar, and Senator Quay wa v s paired the same way, while Senator Sherman did not vote. Of the democrats, Senator Hill voted for free sugar, while Senator Irby was paired the same way. Of the populist , Senator Peffer voted for free sugar. Senators Allen and Kyle against, and Senator Stewart did not vote. Had all the republicans, with three populists and the two disaffected democrats, joined hands, sugar, raw and refined, would have gone on the free list.

Senator Allison offered an amendment to make the schedule go into effect immediately on the passage of the bill. The amendment was lost —30 to 33. Senator Pettigrew (rep., S. D.) offered an amendment to strike out of the schedule the one-eighth of one cent differential given to the refiners. It was lost—3o to 33—Senator Hill and the populisms voting in favor of striking out the differential given to the sugar trust. Senator Manderson proposed an amendment to cut the duty down half and the bounty half. Lost on a rising vote —23 to 31. The question then was on the Jones amenment to paragraph 182 X, the amendment being the schedule agreed on by the democratic side. The Jones compromise amendment fixed the sugar duties, and it was carried—Bs to 28. An analysis of the vote follows: For the Jones schedule: Democrats, 32; populists, 2; republicans, 1; total, 35. Against the schedule: Republicans, 25; Democrats, 2; populists, 1; total, 28. The Jones amendments increasing the duty on sugar candy fuom 80 to 35 per cent, and making the duty on saccharine 25 per cent, were agreed to. This completed the sugar schedule and at 5:45 p. m., on motion of Mr. Harris, the senate went into executive session and shortly afterward adjourned. [As adopted the schedule Imposes a duty of 40 per cent, ad valorem on all sugars, raw and refined:, with a differential of one-eighth of a cent per pound on sugars above sixteen Dutch standard and an additional one-tenth of a cent against sugars imported from countries paying an export bounty. It continues the Hawaiian treaty admitting sugars from the Sandwich Islands free of duty, and plaoes a duty of two cents per gallon on molasses testing above 40 degrees by the polariscope. The schedule goes into effect January 1, 1895, and the bounty is continued until that date.]