St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-03-13
THE SUGAR TARIFF.

DiSpatcneS from washington state
that leading Republicans have deter
mined 10 oppose that feature Of the
tariff bill which imposes a tax upon :
sugar. In this determination they show
their sagacity. They are stealing thun-
der that ought to be Democratic thun-
der. but which. unfortunately for De.
mocracy, has been discarded by the
leaders of the party.
1t will be one of the anomalies Of
politics to see Republicans. whose chief
god for nearly half century has been
protection. arrayed against the princi.
pie even as it concerns a single article:
while Democrats, the cardinal tenet of
whose faith has ever been absolute free
dom Of trade and commerce, are apollo
giving for and defending such tax.
There is this to be said in favor of
tariff tax on sugar: 1t is tax for rev.
enue, and will produce large income
to the government - something like
thirty million dollars year. This is
better than the payment of bounty of
fifteen millions a year to the sugar
raisers of the South-some fOrty-fiye
millions better. Yet there is no good
reason why this class of producers
should be protected at the expense of
the general public, while the wheat and
corn producers of the North and North
west are permitted to paddle their own
canoe without assistance from the GOV
Elm moi.
In opposing the tax on sugar the Re-
publicans will strike popular chord.
Such tax is brought home to every
citizen. 1t interests his wife, and what
ever a woman is interested in she talks
about. And this is case where talk
counts. When woman complains of
the high price of an article of daily ne
cessty she never permits it to be for
gotten, and no man is so Indifferent to
his wlfe's words as to fail, sooner or
later, to listen and reflect upon them.
And his reflection will be in this wise:
The Republican party. the party of
protection, gave me a free breakfast
table, but made me pay dollar year
for the privilege. Now the Democratic
party, the party opposed to protection,
proposes to tax me still more for the
benefit of the sugar planters Of LouiSi-
ana. There is something wrong here.
| will investigate" And he inveSti-
gates. The more he looks into the mat
ter the more inconsistent does the pol
Icy of the Democratic party appear, and
the more commendable does the attitude
of the Republicans seem. The Repub-
lican policy taxed him, it is true; but
The Democratic policy taxes him still
10 FOL,
the conclusion that the Democracy is
false to its pledges and professions. and
resolves to have nothing more to do
with it. A reform party that does not
reform when it has the opportunity can
inspire no confidence among the masses
of the people.
1t makes little difference to tile ma
jority of the people whether the Re-
publican party is sincere or not in its
present attitude. Thinking people
know it is governed by motives of ex-
pediency. But there are comparatively
few who reason III such matters. Most
men reach conclusions by other lines.
They judge of politics by their tangible
and immediate results. II the price of
sugar is increased by the new tariff bill
of which there is no questionable
fault will be laid at the door of the
Democratic party, even though far
more may be saved upon other articles
by reason of the change of the sugar
schedule.
If the Republicans carry out their
avowed intention OF opposing this tax,
they will display political wisdom, if not
honesty. The sugar tax was never
popular, except in the cane-growlng
states. While it is no more burden
some than many other taxes. it is more
constantly before the people. Every
time man visits his grocer he thinks
of it; every time woman sweetens her
cup Of tea she talks about it. 1t is ever
present in the public view because it
affects every individual in the land.
The opponents of the tax will coin
votes for their party by the tens of
thousands.