Show I II I Excerpts From tom Senator Smoots Smoot's moots Speech I on Sugar Tariff art Provisions o of the Wilson- Wilson I Underwood Bill BUI i I We will have havo again the situation described by Henry 0 O. have have- 1 I 1 I meyer when declared he that there never was a war in tho the sugar trade for which the public did not pay tho the bill bin three or four times over o If this bill were properly labeled it would be described as to Schedule E A bill for the destruction of the domestic sugar industry and for or the enrichment of tho the refiners beyond the dreams of avarice That would be a n just title because I defy anybody to point to a 3 single I person in the tho whole United States who will derive an any permanent and II I lasting benefit from its enactment save and e except only the great I II I seaboard sugar refiners I But or about 10 0 cents por pOl capita is the amount that I could be actually saved b by the time removal of tho the tariff on imported sugar 1 assuming that the tIle consumer got th the full benefit of it I The domestic sugar business today though it is only on the threshold threshold threshold thresh thresh- old of its potential development distributes to American industry in round figures Permit the domestic industry to continue in existence and in healthful progress and in the course of a few more I years years cars an additional will no longer go into the pockets of t I I foreigners but it will go into the pockets of American farmers formers and andI I merchants merchant and workmen 1 I oil do not mean to to sa say there will be no reduction at any t time c I II I expect to see sec sec the the price o of sugar decline very ery sharply sharply and materially soon after this bill goes into effect I e expect to see it continue at a aI alow alow low figure until the domestic sugar industry is driven out of exist existence nce I or ur is is crippled b beyond yond hope of recovery cry When that point is reached I Il t l expect to see it advance again and to remain permanently at a 11 high 1 level except at such times as the refiners may find it necessary to scare off threatened competition or to annihilate would-be would competitors I II 1 We Tc have it on indisputable evidence that any locality that that- cannot cannot cannot can can- cant t I I not compete with raw sugar landed at New Tew York at 2 cents a n pound I 1 cannot continue continue In in tho sU sugar nr business after this bill goes into effect I t 1 Why senators there is IS not a 3 beet sugar sug-nr factory in the tho United States I 1 1 I today that thatis is not paying the of its territory ten more than 2 cents I 1 I a pound for ra raw ra w sugar in in the thc beet b before fore ever e it enters on any factory factors processes s. s How in Hie Ilie name of common sense arc you OU going goin to reduce reduce-cost reduce cost costin i in in an au industry in which the one great item of cost is labor unless I II I you reduce the tlC reward f of labor 1 itself Sugar t is labor s Eighty per percent cent 1 1 j I or 01 more of the thc cost ost or of producing sugar goes lor for labor j i I I If lf hostility to fo he the west vrest and aul a wanton desire to tear down the I 1 I structure of ha hard earned pr prosperity that has bus been Leen reared ui in that great cat I i I section of country within the past few fc years ear had been th the motive I I it is difficult to conceive e of If any mends means b by which the tho work ork could have 7 I 1 been made JUnde more c complete than it is in this bill as ns it stands today J 1 I 1 One feature I atur of this bill as us t 1 s it applies to sugar t betrays a n degree of I I political cunning a and amid ld astuteness I mi might ht even sa say r n a species of of political i I t trickery that I believe chec cannot cannot c b be matched in m any other tariff mens measure Iro j I I that ever cyer has been p proposed in m this countr country I 1 refer to the dato at nt which i the free su sugar nr provision of this tins measure is to take effect It Ii is to go I 1 into effect not immediately or in in the near future but nearly three 1 I y years ears hence ju just t. t before the tho oJ opening llin of the he next national nut campaign II I just at a time when the reduction in n pr prices which wInch tho refiners remers must I permit in order to d destroy gro their d domestic competitors Ol can be pointed 1 out with greatest g political force and cf effect ct just too too late for Ol the full fun extent of the time destruction and loss resulting from It its it enactment to be I I realized b by the p people eoPle before are arc called upon apon to pass pas s judgment rent tile the c r istra Hon j 1 on i l t l. l i 1 |