Sharp County record., 1891-08-13
TIE SUGAR BOUNTY.

Nuuifcarions Fov sII. 900, OO,OOO-Enormous
sums For the sugar Pianters-Fiow Uncle
sans Millions win Be Divided-Nhere
Does the Wheat Grower Come ln%
The Implications for the sugar bounty
fled 1t the internal revenue office IN
Eev Orleans offer some highly inter-
ssriug figures for the taxpayers who
must Dav that bounty. The number Of
anulicati0ns fled is $50. but these rep
resent only 55s individuals OF COM
pauIes. since some planters own several
plantations and a separate application
must be made for each. These 55s per
sOns. expect 70 produce 55l-030, 800
pounds Of raw sugar, and they are ask
ing Uncle sam 70 pay them bounty
OF 7II. 200. 100 on it
Il this amount is allowed. each plant
er will pocket the neat little sum OF
nearly $40 OOO This viii be the aver
age OF all. but an astonishing result Is
reached 5v taking the seventeen arg
est planters. who propose TO make each
an average OF D. J0O 900 pounds or more.
These seventeen men ask for a bounty
OF .. $50. 20. an average for each. per
son Of s13S, 500.
There are 1852 persons who expect TO
make from 1.0lOOOO to 5000, 900 pounds
each. and they ask Tor d bounty Of So
I'd $50. or an average TO each man Of
s35.67O. Next come 26S planters who
want free gift from Uncle Samuel Of
3. 80. 900, which means SO, $50. Finally
come the small 5rv to the number Of
l21. asking for SOB, $40. or Ss67 per fry.
Omittiug the small FRY, there remain
n the first three classes ~ persons.
and the average bounty asked for by
them IS about p 900.
The beauty Of this thing. from the
standpoint Of the planters, is that the
billion congress fixed this bounty for a
period Of fifteen years. If the people
should submit to this tax so long the
Louisiana planters will IN that time
make away with about S16S, 900. 900 Of
money wrung from the payers ot tariff
LLLLL1 JULIET lLAEo- Ills hL4aLAEG liz LAAL-Jff
auce for the increased production, which
is sure TO follow in the next few years,
in order to get the bounty. When We
get through with this bounty business
it will undoubtedly be found that not
less than 5000, 900, 600 has gone into the
pockets Of the sugar planters.
But why this bounty to the planters?
Do they add anything more to the pub
lie vell-being than the growers Of
wheat? The price Of the best ceutrif-
ugaI sugar in the New York markets
is now 33- cents d pound, while the
Chicago price Of wheat is 91 cents a
bushel. At these prices a bushel OF
wheat is worth 27 pounds Of sugar.
Uncle sam. therefore. makes Il present
Of 3 cents to the sugar planter for pro-
duciug y pounds Of sugar while the
farmer, who produces an equal value IN
wheat, gets no bounty at all, but on the
contrary must chip in his portion Of
tariff taxes to pay the sugar man his
fat bounty.
This thing is not right. however we'll
it nav fit in with Drotectionist ideas Of
taxation. Uncle Gam has no money
except what he gets from the people
themselves in taxes, and every penny
that he PAYS the sugar grower must
come from the pockets Of men who grow
other things The sugar bounty is 4
piece Of class Legislation, of favoritism.
which shows exactly the nature OF pro-
lection itself 1t robs ninetY-fve men
ont Of every hundred for the benefit Of
the other five