The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-12-31

both ways. ,s,.
continued, demands a fair chance TO
produce everything our people con-
sumo that can be grown in the United
states They want to begin with
sugar. They have found by practical
experience and scientific tests that
from the Hudson river to the Pacitc
and from the Carolinas to the lakes
they can GROW sugar beets as ricn, or
richer in saccharine contents than those
of Europe. They want factories estap-
Jished to arJord a market for these
sugar beets, which they are willing 10
furnish at from 81 to s. per ton
NEW AND PROFITABLE.
At these prices the crop is both a
new and profitable one. Every acre
devoted viii by so much reduce the
competition in other branches OF IarIh-
ing What stands in the way OF lAe
American beet sugar industry is main
" European competition. Europe is
now sending US nearly 100 times as
much beet sugar as she did 10 or II
years ago. She has developed her
beet sugar Industry by a liberal system
of direct subsidies, high protection ana
export boupties until the European
beet industry has practically ruined
the cane sugar industry of the tropics
and Inonopolized the sugar markets OF
the world. To complete the destruction
of the American sugar industry, or at
least to prevent the further develop
ment of the beet sugar business IN
this country, Germany has recently IN
creased its export bounty. And france
is about to follow suit, thus enabnng
their sugar TO be sold in the United
States below the cost of production IN
this country. What is needed is
reasonable specific duty on all I'M
ported sugar with an additional dis
terminating duty from countries pay
ing an export bounty equal 10 tnat
bounty. Then with such aid as the
various states and localities Interested
may offer to secure sugar facsorles,
the beet sugar industry could be put
on its feet in this country within
very few years. 1t would afford tarm-
ers the new and profitable crop they
must have. If by 1910 the domestic in
dustry supplies the home market as it
should it will be putting into the peck
cts of our people $4,000 600 year
that otherwise would be sent out of the
country.
A COMMISSION BASIS.
Mr.. rhurber said that the distribu-
ton of sugar by wholesale IS now prac-
tically on the commission basis The
sugars are sold with the understanding
that certain commission about S-l6) Is
paid to. the wholesaler as his pront, ana
while the American Refining company
price he cannot get the benefit OF that
3-16 commission unless he is bound by
that agreement; the sugar refining
company requiring that the sugar shall
not be sold at less than the manufac-
lures list price; the payment OF TINS
commission is made in the form OF
rebate when the sale is made, and
those who deal in those goods have to
make a statement before they can get
this rebate that they have not violated
their undertaking not to sell below the
list prise. Without this certificate
they do not get paid for handling the
goods. He said in answer to another
question:
7 think that 4 cent pound differ
entail duty instead of Ito cent would
be approximate what is right.
w. J. McGhan, president Of the Nc
Calm Sugar Refining company OF Phil
adelphia, said that We had now Two
years and four months of the present
tariff with a protection of Is cent per
pound, about per cent, while beet
growing countries pay bounty OF
about q of a cent giving foreign re-
finers of bounty paying countries about
u of a cent advantage in our market.
This had result in 1896 in an increase of
about Ito per cent in import of refined
against 10 per cent increased importa-
lions of laW, while our refineries have
been running less than so per cent of
valorem duty on sugar and advocated
placing moiaSses on the free list, it be-
ing a hy-product Of sugar.
The committee here took a recess.
THE PRESIDENTS VIEWS.
Henry r. Oxnard of Grand Island
Neb., president of the Beet Sugar Asso-
citation OF the United States, spoke in
behalf Of that industry. The present
duty, ne said, was not sufficient 10 pro-
investment of additional capital. Years
ago it was admitted that this country
could not produce the sugar consumed
here. Conditions, however, had
changed. The beet sugar industry
could be developed in 20 states and if
the Mckinley law had lasted for Is
years, factories would have been
started in all these states and the
United States would produce all the
sugar needed for home consumption.
The question was asked if we could
90 this.
He contended that We could. We
have the climate and soil necessary
and seven factories now running were
producing IS, 200 600 pounds of sugar
annually. We were about the only
civilized country not producing its
own sugar. In cane and beet sugar we
were now producing about one-seventh
Of the amount consumed at home. In
this connection he quoted from consular
reports to show what we were paying
abroad for sugar and that we had suf-
hcient territory to produce our osvn
sugar If the industry was sufficiently
protected. The sugar producers of the
United States only needed fair pro-
lection to encourage them to meet the
conditions abroad-cheaD labor and
raw materials bounties, etc.
GERMANY FORCING Us.
Germany is simply forcing the United
States to defend a home industry and
within the last six months has sent
report to every beet sugar factory in
this countr--. He referred 10 the Ha-
waiian treaty as failure and a one
sided agreement which deprived US of
much revenue. II was a fraud upon
its face and present conditions de-
Tnanded its cancellation. 1t involved
sugar, rice and other American pro-
ducts, which were struggling for ex-
istence. The producers were not here
to make or suggest a schedule for the
American Refining company, nor were
they antagonizing it. The company
did not employ an army of laborers
and the protection which would satisfy |
it would not be requisite for our pro-
ducers.
The producers required duty high !
enough to place them on a plane with |
foreign competition. Owing to the f.
nanciaI conditions il might not be wise |
TO renew the law of 1885, but the sug-
gestion OF 1888 seemed feasible. He