THE CUBA REVIEW 



33 



test 1.46c. per lb. duty. These are the rates that will be paid on raw sugar from Cuba 

 until March 1, 1914, and are 20 per cent less than the rates on sugar from other countries. 

 Refined sugar will continue to pay 1.90c. per lb. duty from full duty countries and 1.52c. 

 per lb. from Cuba. 



From March 1, 1914, to May 1, 1916, the rates of duty will be as in the following table: 



From 

 Cuba 



.8592c 

 .88 

 .9008 

 .9216 

 .9424 

 .9632 

 .9840 

 1.0048 

 1.0256 

 1.0464 

 1.0672 

 1.088 

 1.00688 

 1.00792 



(These rates possibly subject to 5 per cent discount under provision J, Subsection 7, 

 which provision, however, is expected to be repealed promptly. — W. & G., Oct. 8, 1913.) 



After May 1, 1916, there will be no duty assessed on sugar coming from any part of 

 the world. 



There is a clause in the tariff bill which allows 5 per cent discount from the current 

 rates of duties at time of arrival on all sugar coming into the United States on American 

 vessels, provided that the clause does not interfere with our treaty obligations to other 

 countries. 



It is found on investigation by the State Department that the clause does interfere to 

 a very great extent with the treaties, and if allowed to be operated it would virtually 

 reduce the duties on nearly all sugar (as well as other merchandise) the full 5 per cent. 

 Hence its immediate operation is held in abeyance while waiting for the government to 

 find a way out of the difficulty, either by a repeal of the clause or byl an adjustment of 

 treaties so that American vessels alone shall benefit by the clause. It is claimed by the 

 Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee of the House of Representatives that the 

 President has the power of keeping the clause ineffective during this uncertain interval 

 of investigation and adjustment. Importers, however, are acting on their opinion that 

 the clause is now in force though not so recognized, and are paying the duties assessed 

 without the 5 per cent reduction under special protest which will enable them to recover 

 the 5 per cent later on. Several cargoes of sugar from Cuba have already arrived 

 which are entitled to the reduction if the importers are right in their position. If the 

 final result should be a repeal of the clause, it may appear that sugars arriving in Amer- 

 ican or treaty country vessels during the period from the signing of the bill until the 

 repeal of the clause are entitled to the discount of 5 per cent in duties. 



The important treaty countries producing sugar, said to be entitled to the discount are 

 named as those of Austria, Argentina, Belgium, Denmark, Italy, Japan, Netherlands 

 (Java), Prussia, Spain, Sweden and Norway as well as Great Britain. 



The following countries have no such "favored nation" treaties with us : Brazil, San 

 Domingo, J-'rance, German I'Lmpire, Mexico, Peru and Russia. 



The course of the European markets has been the opposite to ours. 



The crop reports have been favorable and not been such as to warrant in general opin- 

 ion tlie advance made, a considerable part of which is no doubt due to the opinion of 

 others outside of the sugar trade wlio have evidently formed one of those syndicate 

 cliques which so frequently influence prices on the European sugar exchanges. They 

 are said to have bought largely of both the May and August deliveries. 



The possibilities of a market in the United .States for unrefined white sugar are much 



