The record-union., 1896-12-31
SUGAR SCHEDULE
OF THE TARIFF BILL.
Continued from First Page.)


hops, vegetable oils, oleomargarine
butter and cheese, pork and hams that
We're exported last year all put to-
gether represent in value only two
thirds of the sugar imported. 1t is an
economic crime to compel American
farmers to raise staples in competition
with the cheap land and labor countries
with which to pay for imported sugar
besides standing the freight and COM
mission both ways.
THE American farmer Mr.. Myrick
continued, demands fair chance to
produce everything our people consume
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 Pacific and from the Car
oIinas to- the Lakes, they can grow
sugar beets as rich or richer in saccha-
rine contents than those of Europe.
They want factories established to af-
ford a market for these sugar beets,
which they are willing to furnish from
$4 to So per ton.
What stands in the way of the
American beet sugar industry is mainly
European competition. Europe is now
sending us nearly 100 times as much
beet sugar as she did fifteen or seven
teen years ago. She has developed her
beet sugar industry by a liberal system
of direct subsidies, high protection and
export bountieS until the European
beet sugar industry has practically
ruined the cane sugar industry of the
tropics and monopolized the sugar mar
kets of the world To complete the de-
StIuction of the American sugar in
dustry, or at least to prevent the fur
ther development of the beet sugar busi-
ness in this country, Germany has re-
Gently increased its export bounty. And
France is about to follow suit thus en-
abling their sugar to be sold in the
United States below the cost of produc-
ton in this country.
What is needed is reasonable spe.
cifiC duty on all imported sugar, with
an additional discriminating duty from
countries paying an export bounty
equal to that bounty. Then with such
aid as the various States and localities
interested may offer to secure sugar
factories, the beet sugar industry could
be put on its feet in this country With
in a very few years. 1t would afford
farmers the new and profitable crop
they must have If by 1910 the do
mestic industry supplies the home mar
ket, as tit should, it Will be putting into
the pockets of our people $500, 900, 900
year that otherwise would be sent out
Of the country
r. NJ. Allen of Nebraska asked for
a schedule which would encourage our
farmers and NOT give foreigners a mo-
Eopoly of our market The farmers of
Nebraska would be materially assisted
If beet growing could be made profitable
and they We're ready and anxious to
enter into this industry.
Among the written arguments pre-
scented to the Committee on Ways and
Means to-day was one by Senator
George c. Perkins of California in IA
vor of the imposition of a specific tax
Of one-half a cent per pound ON i'm
ported raw sugars. He showed that
the consumption of imported sugar by
the United States is about 100000
tors a year, all of which can, if the
sugar interest is protected, be produced
in a few years within our borders. He
showed that the area capable of produc-
ing beet sugar was sufficient to more
States, and that sugar beets can be
raised ON soil ranging in character
from the alkan plains Of the Pecos
River in Utah to the rich soil in Cali
fOrnia-
He pointed out the fact that France
alone produced sugar beets enough to
manufacture all the sugar that we i'm
port, and that Germany is a still greater
producer of this character. Austria is
also a large producer. But these coun-
tries have protected this interest so
that it has been enabled TO add to it's
present vast dimensions. And now
these same countries are increasing the
bounties and duties In order to pro-
tect their respective producers against
the competition of the other European
beet sugar countries.
The sugar producers of the United
States are thus forced into competition
with the protected sugar of Europe, and
for this protected sugar are paying out
nearly 100000 900 per year. This
sum, he argued. should be retained in
the United States. and paid opt to our
own laborers, farmers and mechanics.
Adjourned until tomorrow.