OUR AMERICAN LETTER

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14854, 20 December 1913, Page 13

OUR AMERICAN LETTER

NOTES AND NEWS

THE NEW TARIFF

PANAMA CANAL.

(from orn own correspondent.)

SAN FRANCISCO, November 23

There is a proposal afoot to widen the Panama Canal zone under tho jurisdiction of the United States to sixty miles. At present this nation controls a strip ten miles in width, through which tho canal courses. It is situated in the Republic of Panama, a nation brought into being ten years ago by a revolt from Columbia. At a recent conference on Latin-America in Massachussets it was stated by Earl Harding, an authority on the subject, that for working out adequate military facilities it was necessary to bring under American control the entire watershed of the Chagres river, in all a canal width of fifty or sixty miles. He estimated that eventually tho isthmus should sustain a population of a million people As tho work approaches conclusion the labourers on the canai aro being dropped at the rate of about 6000 a month. At ono time there were 50,000 workmen employed on the canal, but the number has been reduced to about 35,000. Colonel Goethals estimates that a permanent force of about 5000 men will be required to operate the waterway, comprising 1500 high-grade men from tho United States and 3500 manual labourers drawn from tho West Indies and Europe. BEET SUGAR DOOMED. Ono of tlio most melancholy assemblages of business men ever held in the United States was that of beet sugar manufacturers in Chicago last week. The removal of the Customs duty on 6ugar, to go into effect in 1915, means practically the wiping out of tho beet sugar industry in America. There was general agreement that it would be impossible for the manufacturers to continue in business after 1915. Some will make only the 1914 crop. Those who think they can sell tho 1915" crop before the following March, when the duties will be removeu, will probably run in 1915, if they can get the beets. Some of the factories in California intend to close out with the crop of the present year. It is stated that a sum approaching £20.000,000 has been invested in beet-sugar making in the United States. Those who have invested this money would be glad to continue the industry. but the factories cannot induce farmers to raise beets a± a price to enable sugar to be sold in competition with free foreign sugar. There will undoubtedly be a small reduction in tho price of sugar to the consumer. There aro twelve western and middle-western States in which beet-sugar growing is important. TAMMANY HALL. Tlio politico,} knock-out administered to Tammany Hall by tlio election of John Purroy Mitchell, Mayor of New York City, is being followed up by a searching investigation of some ot the corrupt activities oT that 'discredited organisation by which it i keeps its coffers well-filled. The in- | quiry, conducted by District Attorney Whitman, has so far resulted in one indictment ,on a criminal charge. Everett P. Fowler, described as a "bagman" for Tammany, is accused of -extortion from contractors, and will have to stand trial. The accusation against him is that he forced S. P. Hull, a contractor for highway construction, and an enrolled Republican, to give £50 as a Democratic campaign contribution, to bo used in the support of Tammany candidates,' under tlm-at that work on Hull's £5000 State road contract would not be approved by the highway inspectors, and that his pay would be held up. District-Attorney Whitman says that for years past contractors have been "sand-bagged*" into contributing t<Q Tammany campaign expense, by similar threats. ExGovernor Sulzer is involved in these charges. Sulzer is now touring the country delivering paid lectures in denunciation of Tammany, but until less than a year ago he was a Tammany man, and the district attorney says he has information of a conference last year in which Sulzer participated, and at which plans were dis>cussed for soliciting State contractora for contributions to his election fund..

Great things -nre expected of Mayor Mitchell, who ii tho youngest chief executive New York has ever had. He assumes office the first week in January, and his term is four years. His mission and the task for which the voters have elected him is to eliminate Tammanyism from the affairs of the city. With the support which the result of. tbe election gives him, this should not be an impossible undertaking. Tammauy loses all but one vote of the powerful Board of Estimate, it loses control of tho Board of Alderman, and nearly all its nominees for county and judicial offices have gone down to defeat. One paper estimates that Tammany has missed appointive and elective offices worth more than £200,000 a year THE NEW TARIFF. One section of the new tariff law, and a very important section, too, having been the subject of many international representations, has gone by the board. Tho Bill, as signed by the President, provided that on dutiable goods brought to the United States in American-owned vessels tha duty should bo 5 per cent, lower than on mcrcbandi.se transported hither in foreign vessels. Attornoy-Gpneral Mcßeynolds has ruled this ia in conflict with treaty obligations, and therefore it will no*- be put in operation. The sub-sectioi itself states that nothing contained therein shall be constru*xl as to abrogate or in any manner impair or affect the provisions of any treaty between the United States and any foreign nation. The attor-ney-General holds that the 5 per cent, discount would impair obligations of treaties between the United States and other Powers, and therefore by its express terms it becomes inoperative. Twenty-three nations, including Great Britain, France* Germany, Italy, and Japan, claimed that their ships had a right to the differential in common with American ships. Had theso claims been allowed it would have involved a loss of revenue in the sums of about £2,000,000 annually. A large number of entries were held up pending determination of tho question. These have now been released. Some dissatisfied importer still has the right to carry the matter to tho Court of Customs Appeals.