Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-08-18

Islands, and thus crush out Spreckels.
The tariff Disseminated in favor of raw
sugars, admitting them at less rate than
refined sugars, just as iute comes almost
duty free, while burlaps pay at the rate of
forty cents, and sacks sixty per cent. OF
their value. To keep up the fiction rela-
tive to American industry, the protective
tariff lHnatics always make distinction IN
favor CT raw materials and against manufac-
tured articles. Under the treaty they
thoughtthe advantage to Spreckels' business
would pass away. But Spreckels saw what
many another saw-that the treaty would
transfer the refining business to San Fran
cisco, and that San Francisco could be
made she base for sugar interests jast as
New Orleans has been, st. Louis now is,
and Havana and other metropoli of sugar
growing districts. He purchased large in
terests in the Islands, put almost unlim-
tied capital into the business, and by his
heavy purchases Of plantations made it
Improbable for anyone else to establish
refinery, as he could control majority of
the island product.
There can be enacted no law against
such a monopoly as is the product of bust
ness foresight, prudence and commercial
skill. Attempts to do so are unreasonable
and unlawful interferences with the free
dom of individual action, and fly in the
face of the doctrine that men are endowed
with inalienabIe rights, among which are
life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
But it is alleged, and the ST. Louis Globe
Democrat echoes it, that the reason sugar
is costlier to consumers here than at the
East is because the transeontinental rail.
road companies keep up the rates of trans-
portation, and are in collision with Claus
Spreckels to do SO. The story runs that
the railroad levies blackmail on the sugar
interest to the extent of all the profit it
would get if it carried the sugar from the
Eastern States. The facts are, that the
treaty placed San Francisco in the same re.
lstion to the sugar growing interests OF the
Islands that st. Louis sustains to the sugar
growing districts within the United States.
Belcher Bros. have practical monopoly
of refining there, and Spreckels here. At
lantic coast refners pay two and one-halt
cents duty on refined West India sugar.
If tariff were placed on raw sugar at San
Francisco, grown'on the Islands, the tariff
and freight added would be an additional
protection to Eastern refners.
We ought to have sugar at as cheap rates
as the people of New York, but it is not
chargeable to the treaty that we do not.
1t is either the fault of Claus Spreckels or
his good fortune. But if it is wise, and
the people wish to suppress Spreckels,
let it be done by direct enactment. and
eliminate him and all his Kind. Or let it
by law be decreed that he and all like him
shall sell sugar at rates agreeable to the
San Francisco Chronicle. If the New York
re6ner can build tariff fence between San
Francisco and the Islands, he can sell us
sugar. But while there is sugar produc-
ing country commercially annexed to the
Pacific coast, he cannot do so.
Suppose one of our great valleys to be a
profitable sugar-growing district, and the
reader will realize that the situation would
not differ from the present one, for prac-
tically we now grow the sugar we use
in our own territory. The freight rate
between New York, st. Louis and New
Orleans and San Francisco constitutes
protection to the sugar interests of this
coast, because it is within the CONNER
cial territory where sugar is produced,
just as if grown in the San Joaquin val
ley. The sugar interests of the East en-
ployed the San Francisco Chronicle to fight
the treaty. Eastern papers holding like
views did not need to be subsidized, for
they think themselves justified in foster
ing local interests, however injurious and
unjust the methods employed to accom-
plish it may be to other sections. Their
patronage is involved in the matter, and
self.interest is too apt to be the first in
terest. But there is no difference be-
tween lie by newspaper in defense of
local commercial interests and lie where
the object of the falsehood is less worthy.
So it was easier to get papers at the
East, especially high tariff journals, to OPP
pose the treaty than to find one here TO
do it, because under proper relations and
enterprise on the part of the people OF
this coast the treaty would result in
cheaper sugar to us than otherwise could
be obtained. We get the difference be-
tween the price of sugar here and in New
York in the way of trade with the Islands.
Our compensation is in the increased price
of the goods we sell and the market we OBJ
tain by reason of the treaty.
But, as already said in effect, we repeat,
the sugar interests approached the most
venal journal on the coast, and found in 1t
ready tool and convenient organ, and
SO they secured the Chronicle. It's assault
on Spreckels is to cover its own tracks.
We are not in the confidence of Spreckels,
but can easily fathom the depths of the
Chronicles position toward him. There is
no law, organic or legislative, to prevent
Spreckels buying up sugar plantations on
the islands, or to compel him to let them
lie idle. He bought plantations, hired
men to work on them, and by this means
got control of the refining interests of the
coast He then added the cost of freight
to the Eastern prices. just as Eastern REIN
ers add the amount of the tariff and charge
to the consumer the amount it costs for his
own protection.
And here comes into view the absurdity
of protection-the interest protected does
not pay the cost of protection. Taxation
is justified on the theory that the property
burdened receives compensating protection
from the Government. But the tariff pro.
tects the manufacturer in the profit he will
demand from the consumer, and the con-
sumner, who receives no protection what
ever, pays to the Government the tax.
thus reversing the great doctrine of the