Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1890-09-12
dealer then quotes numerous authorities
and decisions in support of this opinion.
SENATOR PIERCE AND RECIPROcI TY.
Senator Pierce delivered one of the most

concise and convincing speeches in favor
of reciprocity that has been listened to
in the United States senate. After show
ing, by the records of the senate, the in
consistency of Senators Voorhees,, Beck,
Vance and other leaders on the demo-
cratic side of the house, Mr.. Pierce
spoke at length in favor of his reciproc-
ity amendment. He quoted extensively
from personal letters he had received
from the governors and other high
officials in the South and Central Ameri-
can republics, showing that the opening
up of our markets to the unrestricted ad-
mission of products from these countries
would result in an extensive demand in
those countries for our farm products
and thus prove of great benefit to the
farmers of the United States.
The senator showed by statistical
tables, our trade with the southern re-
publics in the past-the fluctuations
and causes.
Concluding this argument in favor of
reciprocity, the senator said:
1t seems to me that the advantages of a
discretionary power which may or may not
need scarcely be mentioned.
II we find, as some fear, that the removal
of the duties upon sugar does not cheaper
it to the consumer in this country, there
will be a universal demand that the duties
be re-imposed and we shall not nave to
wait for a repeal or modification of the law
to secure such a restoration. Time is given
to test the question whether the repeal of
these duties lower the price before the
president is called upon to finally act.
In other words, it gives us the opportun-
ity to determine what the advantages to
our people of free sugar will be without
the danger of delay in speedily recovering
any ground we may lose by placing it upon
conferred may possibly result in no bene-
ft-although that L believe is a remote
proposition-it cannot possibly result in
any disaster. 1t may he found advisable
to restore the duties upon coffee while
leaving sugar free, or vice versa. 1t may
be that certain advantages may be OBJ
tanned by the imposition of a duty upon
rubber, or hides, or other products which
The latitude given the president is wide,
his discretion ample, the powers sufficient
without being dangerous. * * X X *
II free sugar is a boon, we shall have it;
ii it is a deception and a snare without any
practical advantages, we shall know it in
time to retrace our steps and save the $780,
100000 which we surrender by the terms of
the proposed law. 1t seems to me, there
fore, that every dictate of reason, judg-
ment, safety and sound policy requires the
adoption OF this proposed amendment.
But suppose u negotiations should
prove futile and we can not obtain such re-
ciprocal privileges as we seek, and are to
be kept dependent upon a foreign govern
ment for this great staple, subject to the
mutations of the market, the schemes of
spectators, the operation of trusts or rings,
and the various conditions and combina-
tons which enter into the price of products
OF this character? There is a remedy,
Mr.. President, even for this state of things,
and 1t is a grave question with me whether
the remedy, if vigorously adopted, would
not prove as completely effective and as
the most liberal grants by foreign govern
ments. We have almost every variety of
soil and climate in this nation known in
the world.
There is scarcely a product of any kind
we cannot produce within the geograph.
icai limits of the United States. Within
the last few years sugar made from beets,
eAASt AAoAA oOilS fSSSLhplCo, q llOG
only been successfully manufactured
abroad, but has grown to enormous pro
portions until it surpassos in quantity the
sugar produced from cane. The sugar of
the world. as l have said, amounts to
5.l7S,O00 tons. and it is divided as follows:
Cane, 2,27s,O0O; beet, 3,5OO,OOO.
Last year Germany produced 100000
tons OF beet sugar: a ustria, 100000 tons;
Russia, 100000 tons; France, $1,000; Bel
GUM, 105, 900 tons; Holland $4,000 tons;
total production, 3,445,OOO, against 1884, 900
in 1888 n 2,451,OO0 in 1887. 1t will be
seen that the product from beets exceeds
the cane product by 722.O00 ions. Our I'M
ports of cane sugar have decreased during
the past year, while our imports of beet
months ending June l, 1890, we imported
555,427.72l pounds OF beet sugar, as against
al, 364 ,2SS pounds in the corresponding
eleven months in 1889. OF cane and other
sugar not beet we imported for the same
period in 1890, 1854, 1922 pounds, as
against 2,252, S53, 1925 pounds in 1889, a de.
crease of $685. 1000, 900 pounds in cane sugar.
fairly begun, but is developing very rap
idly.
In 1889 we produced about 100000 0
pounds, and during the present fiscal year
the product promises to run into millions.
1t Is well to note that we are following in
Ills Dlll Tie pOllcy Wulcn mas proved so
benetcent to this industry in France, Ger
many and Austro-Hungary. The product
of France has grown from 243 900 tons in
1877 to 100000 in 1889. 1t is estimated that
there are now 100000 engaged in the man
ufacture of beet sugar in France, exclusive
of the labor employed in the fields. The
ame is practically true of Germany. The
protective duties in all these countries
which foster the product of beet sugar are
practically p%rohibitory.
The favorable action of some Of our
state legislatures, and the proposed action
to be taken in this bill, so far as bounties
are concerned, is likely to stimulate this
product enormously in this country, and it
only requires an unfair rejection of our
propositions to the sugar producing coun-
tries to insure before many years a supply
in our own country which will equal the
consumption. We shall not 90 on paving
high prices for this staple. That may as
we'll be taken as a settled proposition by
the nations which depend so largely upon
this product and upon the market which
they find for it in the United States.
No grade of sugar under IL Dutch stand
ard, and that ought to be the limit fixed in
the bill. ought to cost the over
7 cents a pound anywhere within our Dor
ders. AS said, we imported last year
from the various countries producing cane
sugar over 100000 tons. If these coun-
tries desire to retain this market they
must make it an object for us to buy of
them, or otherwise we will become our
own manufacturers and soon be independ-