New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-01-25

result OF the enactment of the bounty law was
the doubling Of the product OF the american
cane planters through improvement OF manu-
featuring processes rather than by any great
increase Of average. Although the Louisiana
delegation in Congress had voted UNANIMOUSLY
against the bounty law, the planters were en-
couraged to improve their plant by what
seemed its face 10 be fifteen years con-
tract on the part Of the United states Govern,
ment' Large amounts Of money were invested
in the construction Of central and private iac-
tories. Old processes were discarded and highly
improved machinery was obtained New iac-
tories were built on nearly all the Important
plantations and for four years there was an
annual Increase Of about 10 per cent III acIe-
age, until in 1894 100000 acres were reported py
the Department 81 Internal Revenue Win the
Incidental crops Of corn and peas oruinaI d
used in rotation. this would indicate iooVoo
acres as In cultivation directly or lndlrec'y ioI
sugar. This was. moreover. land subJcct TO tne
best conditions of drainage. fertility, iertlllZa-
ton and cultivation. and an excepuonaily ialse
crop OF sugar cane could be produced from eve"
4 limited acreage ,
According TO the most conservative estimates,
At least So 900 900 year was Invested IN new anu
improved machinery from 1880 until the lep,at "a
the bounty law, and about 2.50O'Ool annuaiiy ia
the openjng of new cane territory through ollch-
Ing. drainage. planting and cuidvanon 90 , nma
would involve expenditure or $5o.VVooVV uu''is
the four years when the Mckinney law was III
operation. But the sugar planters themsvNc'
place the figures much higher Governor oN W o,o
moth told me at Magnolia that at least s'Voovo' '
in machinery and land improvements hau so.Io
into the cane industry in Louisiana III CHS,
quence of the bounty law There was SOM I mest
tat.on year ago about continuing lheSe inN '
mems hut what seemed the certainty on setui!
ing the bounty Of domestic sugar for the year 1917
induced planters generally to purchase auull.3nai
machinery and to make arrangements l"i ~ =. ~
ing a large crop of cane. Up TO the GATE OF me
repeal of the bounty law there had been eNpehusu
in 1894 almost # not fully as much money III me
improvement OF plantations ana factories Az n,u
heen invested during each of the three previous
years Then, suddenly. without warning from
any quarter. the bounty law was repealea III Auo
gust 1894. by a Democratic Congress; si-VVoV~
which the planters had counted conhdenty upon
receiving for the seasons crop was withuraWn'
and with their plantations mortgaged ana thei
machinery not ye, paid for, they all iound 'heii-
selves on the verge Of bankruptcy 49,
One of the best informed planters gives TINS
account OF the crisis: 1--WE took the Government
at its word when it declared that the boun
would be in force for fifteen years. we never
thought of questioning the good faith or the
United States. II never entered into our mlnds
that the bounty would be taken away IN me iilu
die Of the season. when our crops were nan falseu
and all our contracts made for the denVery "
cane We invested in four years from s4"VVVoVo
to $50 900 900 in machinery ana IN opehihs
sugar tracts, and doubled our crop ii me , Jaw
had been allowed to stand, at the end OF nlteen
years IL not ten years. louisiana alone woul9
have supplied the American market, SO rapiu anu
so successful was the operation OF the system
And now what has Congress done? II has Win
drawn the bounty upon which all our calcuiat ~ ms
for last years operations were baseu anu iels US
in future to face foreign competition Win ie'c
nue. duty which will not amount IN realty 10 d
cent a pound We mortgaged up to our chin INNS
and cannot keep out OF the hands or the Sheril,
Four-fifths Of us-indeed. had almost said All Oh
us-are irretrievably ruined in consequence OF our
credullty In taking the Government al l,s woro
and assuming that II would not violate It's con-
.racts The worst of 1t is that louisiana mas peen
BETRAYED by a Democratic Congress-yes, by the
inexplicable folly of her own senator's ,
That is perhaps good point at Whlch 10 oredh
of the quotation for when sugar planter IN the
present year Of grace begins to talk ABOUT tne
Senators from his State. his language wakes IN
tense supe-heated. grotesquely pictorial. ana not
10 nut too fine point upon IT, shockingiy proiahe.
Senators Caffery and Blanchard held the balance
Of power in the Senate. and after frittering away
their advantages Of position by the most uninteh-
eble and stupid series Of fiimfam compromises
turned against the sugar planters ana denDeratee.
" BETRAYED and ruined them. That is the tnoush'
that has been ranking in the Democratic pant
ers mind since August, while he has beeh hohor-
ably meeting his own contracts for cane making
sugar at a loss at present Trust prices ana Won
derng how he manage TO Keep out Oh t"e
hands OF the Sheriff The season at last mas
ended, and the settling-day with creators cahnot
long be deferred Democracy II Its victims are
20 be taken at their word. has turned over
large proportion Of the planters to the coid
mercies OF bankruptcy. 1. ~ F.
NeW-York Jan. % 1895.