1 Ava., 1898.] QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. 103 
protected Californian beet sugar industry and the Louisiana growers. If further steps 
are taken to protect America from the European growers, as is threatened, we are 
driven out of that market too. And, as it is, the export of beet sugar from Europe is 
showing signs of being increased in the near future.” 
“You, of course, consider it absulutely necessary that the bounty system should 
be abolished ? ” 
“Undoubtedly. It would have been settled in 1888 but for the action of France. 
It was regarded as anecessity by the representatives of the different countries that all 
must abolish their bounty system. England provided the market, andif any country 
went back upon its word, a countervailing duty was considered necessary. We did 
not see our way to adopt this course; and, in fact, all along, France was working 
against the understanding.” 
«And the bounty system shows no signs of diminishing ?” our representative 
ueried. 
va Does it look like it?” was the reply. ‘Until this year the bounty was, 
roughly, 15s. per ton in Germany. In France it was double. Now the German 
bounty has been doubled, and France is thinking of following suit.” 
“Put itin this way,’ continued Mr. Hogg. “ We are prevented by the laws of 
foreign countries from obtaining a living. Supposing a couple of foreign gunboats 
were sent to Demerara, and sugar was not allowed to leave without a payment of 
nearly £2 per ton. There would be war. Yet we allow foreign countries to damage 
our industries to exactly the same extent by aggressive action in the commercial 
world, and say nothing. The position is illogical. In fact, whenever the question is 
mooted, there is an outery that freetrade is in danger, although the present system is 
dead against the views of Cobden, whose notion was to produce at the natural price 
after a natural manner. Artificial sources of production cannot result in permanent 
cheapness. It is openly avowed that when our producing colonies are ruined, the 
price of sugar will be raised and the bounties removed.” 
“Then you maintain that it is necessary to impose a countervailing duty ?” was 
the next question asked. 
“Oertainly. ‘The objection is that the price of sugar will be raised. But one 
knows that it will happen sooner or later. Let me put a question to any opponent of 
our views. What is the difference between abolishing bounties by treaty and imposing 
countervailing duties? ‘The effect is precisely the same. If it is right to do one 
thing, itis right to do the other.” , . 
“ But the immediate result, that is so much objected to, is that the working man 
will suffer by paying higher prices, should your countervailing duties be imposed.” - 
“ By how much ?” was the rejoinder. “I said just now that an artificial source 
of production is not really in favour of cheapness. But even should the counteryail- 
ing duty of 25s. per ton be imposed, the result would be less than id. per lb. rise in 
sugar. Tbe Cobden Club has, in fact, estimated it at half-a-farthing. And by 
putting on the countervailing duty until the bounties are removed, the sum of about 
£3,000,000 per annum is raised for the relief of the British taxpayers. Itis necessary 
to continually bear one fact in mind—the countervailing duty is merely a temporary 
measure, used to force the hand of foreign Governments and bring about freetrade.”” 
“Do you think any portion of the depression is due to antiquated methods, bad 
machinery, or anything of that kind 2” our representative asked. 
Mr. Hogg laughed. “ No country in the world is better fitted than Demerara in 
the way of sugar machinery,’ he stated. “I have put in £250,000 in the last ten 
years on the estates in which Iam interested. Another firm has, I know, put in a 
similar amount in Demerara. No country is ahead of us in this matter. Individual 
estates in Cuba are, perhaps, better; but even the Cuban average is not so good as 
that of our West Indian plantations. Itis the same with the officials employed. I 
myself paid a French chemist £2,000 a year for some years to remain on the estates 
and merely try to effect improvements in the method of working.” : 
: “Then there is the absentee question,” was the next attempt to draw Mr. Quintin 
Toge’s views. 
a What do you think the complaint of the French colonies is?” said Mr. Hoge, 
with a laugh. “They grumble because they have no monied absentee proprietors. 
Of course, I do not think absenteeism is a good thing, but in the West Indies it is at 
the best. Large estates owned and worked by big capitalists do not lead to much 
harm in the long run, and itis precisely because they have not got them that the 
French colonists complain.” 
‘What about the cost of production as compared with France and Germany?” 
Mr. Hogg was next asked. 
“We can produce more cheaply than either; but for all that, sugar planiasions 
are going out of cultivation. I was forced to abandon one recently, on which a quarter 
of a million had been spent. ‘his was partly due, I admit, to the Atlantic wash on 
