The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1895-10-26
THE CHINESE SUGARS
Large Quantities Surreptiti'
ously Sold on the Coast.
1T Is BILLED AS "MERCHANDISE'

1T Is BILLED AS MERCHANDISE"
But Few People Are Aware Of the DAN
ger That Is Threatened From
This Unclean Article.
Tacoma, Oct. 2l.-The curiosity Of
the unwary reader is not aroused when
he sees among other items Of cargo re-
ported by the agents of the Asiatic
steamers IS. 900 pkg's merchandise.
There is tea. silk. spices and $500
pkg's merchandise.
Aren't tea and silk merchandise"
Yes; and there is nothing to be con-
cealed in their importation, but with
sugar it is different. Secrecy is the
watchword. The public must not
know that Chinese sugar is being
dumped upon them. Why? Because
the public don't want it.
The steamer Strathnevis, which ar
rived at Tacoma on October s, brought
in her cargo $500 pkg's "merchan-
sugar. and importations OF this same
secret merchandise" since July l into
Oregon and Washington have amount
ed to As, $40 bags, or nearly 5,0Oo,0O
pounds, valued at nearly quarter Of
million dollars.
Where has it all gone: How many
people know they are buying sugar
from the plague ridden Orient with its
poorly paid and poorly fed labor? The
same secrecy exercised by the importer
is exercised by the grocer and by every
one who handles it, and the public be-
comes large consumer Of an article
that it knows nothing Of and would not
buy if it knew what it was getting
And yet there has been secretly i'm
ported in the last three months six
pounds of this sugar for every man,
woman and child in Washington and
Oregon
Why does the grocer handle it? Not
a single wholesale grocer of any stand
ing in the Northwest does, but some Of
the retail grocers in their anxiety to
buy cheaper than their neighbors have
let their avarice get the best of their
patriotism and good sense. They buy
it because it is cheaper and they can
make two or three cents more on dol
lars worth. Do these groeers sell this
sugar cheaper: Did you ever see in
your grocer's store two bags one mark
ed American Sugar" and the other
Chinese Sugar? No. They buy il
at an insignificant Inference in cost
and sell this .lerchandise" as
sugar" at the same price as Ameri-
can sugar. For little extra profit
they sell the public an article that
they do not dare call by name.
Secrecy is the watchword. The pub
lie will not have this merchandise
if they know what it is. Therefore
they must not know what it is.
There are few people who will buy
sugar from plague and vermin ridden
China when they get better article at
practically the same price made at
home, and it is because the public dom,
want this product Of coolie labor tina,
it is handled in the dark aud sold in
the dark, concealed by the importer
and concealed by the tradesman. There
is probably not one reader Of this ar
ticle who has not purchased Chinese
sugar thinking that he was getting a
clean American product made by
American labor. Who reaps the bene.
fit of the deception:
A few honest grocers here and there
display cards: I'VE handle American
Sugar Only" Many grocers sell Chi
nese sugar thinking that they are do
ing nothing wrong, that it is all RICH
so long as the customer does not asl
what he is getting or specify Ameri
can sugar. If the customer asks they
tell him it is Chinese sugar, with q
very few exceptions.
Nevertheless, it remains a fact thai
this immense quantity Of sugar is dump
ed in here and sold and no one ever seei
or hears of it.
The American people are protection
lists in theory and in fact and are not q
inconsistent as to frame laws to shu
out the products Of pauper labor anC
they turn around and buy, at practical
ly no difference in price, an every day
staple food product from the mos
poorly paid. the most degraded, the
most filthy labor on the face of thu
earth.
Hardly freetrader would be 80 un
American as to patronize such product
although he does not believe in keep
ing them out by law, and he can vel
point his finger Of scorn to any on
protesting to believe in protection q
American industries who brings to hi
own house and family sugar from
China.
Suppose the grocer gave his custom
ers the benefit of the lower price am
gave them one more pound Of Chimes
sugar than Of American sugar for on
dollar, few families would save owe
thirty cents year. 1t is ridiculou
and no one will listen to ii. Henc
the secrecy. Hence the "merchan
disc" This is why no grocer asks 20,
which you will have, American or Chi
nese sugar.
Let every American stand for Ameri
can goods. Find out what your ar
getting. At least pay for what 20
get and get what you pay for. This
the kind Of protection that protects
The government in order TO protec
its citizens against practices Of thi
kind requires that all imported good
shall be plainly marked with the nam
Of the country from which it came
But little sugar is sold in origins
packages and the good effect is lost.
you buy a bag Of Chinese sugar 20