St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-07-21
THE ROUNTYPOLICY,

There is no doubt that the sugar
bounty has given great impulse to the
production from the cane and the maple.
tree. The most recent estimates are
that SIS, 100000 will hardly meet the de-
mands of those who had their applca-
tons filed before the limit, July l. The
New York Tribune has an account from
Vermont of the activity the last few
days of June in getting in the applica-
tons. The number is well toward 5000,
and some of them will take in large
amounts. Among the lucky ones are
mentioned
Ex-Gov j. GREGORY SMITH, of st. Adams,
who has an orchard of 1000 trees; Congress
man WILLIAM W. CIRCUIT, who owns an ex-
tensive orchard on his home farm; Gov.
PAGE, who operates several maple orchards
in Lamoille county. and eX-Speaker JOSIAH
GRANT of Derby, successful farmer and
sugar producer.
While the facts in general way are
familiar, 1t is well to look over the Incl
dents occasionally, SOFAS to know whom
to congratulate at their good fortune in
being paid handsome bounty to carry
on this lucrative business. The maple
sugar makers have no competition from
the prices. as the supply is small for the
demand. They have a right TO look
upon the government as overfiowing
with graciousneSS and benevolence to-
ward them. When they did not suspect
they needed larger profits they were
told to hold their pockets open, and
money gathered from the people would
be poured in. Then it is well to keep the
matter in mind, as the sugar business is
the main reliance to sweeten the Nc
kinney pill. The maple sugar bust
ness in Vermont is a sort of annual
frolic. The sap rises when the snow
begins to melt in the spring, and there
is no farm labor that can be carried on
to much extent. The boys tap the trees
of the grove, catch the sap and
boil it to the sugar stage on the
spot. 1t is cooled on the snow,
and the fun goes on like a candy
pull. The merriment will be liyelier
with the stimulus of two cents per pound
bonus for the product. Maple orchards
will be at premium. The shrewd fell
lows who worked the deal aimed to
shield it from possible Democratic adj
versity by making the appropriations
for the bounty for fifteen years. This
bounty business is an entirely new de-
parture. There have been rebates in
the tariff on articles imported when
they were sent out Of the country again.
but nothing that comes on the line of
the present contribution to the pro-
ducerS of sugar. A little less than
hundred years ago congress paid a few
thousand dollars as a kind of bonus to
vessels in the fisheries, on the ground
that there was need of sailors trained
for the naval service. In the de-
bate on the subject it was urged that
to give bOunties to any class would be
to set aside the constitution, which re-
quireS equal taxation and demands SIM
liar distribution, and lead to ruinous
and unjust Determinations. Mr.. MAD
lSON insisted that such favOritism would
subvert the government, if made the
settled policy. When the senator from
Vermont insisted upon amending the
tariff bill to include the maple sugar,
was taken as bu leSque from an I'M
expected quarter rpon the bounty prin-
ciple. But when it was asked why
there should be discrimination against
one class of sugar makers, the cham
piOns of the policy found little room for
their feet. The same difficulty is found
when it is attempted TO draw the line be-
tween sugar and other deserving in
duStriaS