New-York tribune., 1897-08-05
WHAT A sUGAR-GROWER BELIEVES.
HOW THE NEW TARIFF LAW HELPS THE INDUS
TRY IN LOUISIANA.

HOW THE NEW TARIFF LAW HELPS THE INDUS
TRY IN LOUISIANA.
Washington. Aug 4 CspeciaD. General Meyer. OF
ouis,ana IA one of tho Representatives In Congress
from that State who supported and voted for the
Dngley bill at every stage OF Its progress IL goes
without saying that he Is delighted with the 'hdica-
tlons OF revival OF prosperity since the enactment
OF the new law throughout the country ana
especially in the Pelican State. Most satisfactory.
as well as prompt has been the response to the
new law" he says In conversation with General
Meyer to-day Tribune correspondent askedi
How is 1t that the sugar ar-planters can AFFORD to
raise wages go soon after the passage Oh 'he new
law"
That is not hard to explain" was the reply.
Several years ago they compelled to curtail
expenses In every possible way In order to avert
bankruptcy. and. OF course. wages. which are very
heavy item Of expense. had TO be reduced. Now
with fair protective tariff the planters feel strong
enough 10 compete on even terms with fore.gh pro-
ducers. and It Is only fair TO restore the scale
OF wages paid before the sugar bounty provision
repealed three years ago.
How many persons directly employed In the
cultivation and handling Of sugar cane In the fields
and mills of louisiana" 2" asked the correspondent
About two hundred thousand Is the estimate OF
the number thus directly employed besides from
two hundred thousand to three hundred thousand
who more or less directly Interested In the pros
perity OF the industry. which the chief maInstay
OF the Industrial and commercial prosperity OF the
city Of New-Oreans and the rest OF the State.
Besides" continued General Meyer, there Is
hardly a State in the Union which is not more or
Jess Interested In the prosperity OF the Louisiana
sugar industry In a good year II contributes tens
OF millions Of dollars 10 Internal commerce.
Every railroad and steamboat transportation line
feels 1t and profits by II: 1t furnishes market for
the mules OF Tennessee Missouri and Ken
lucky: for the cereal and meat products OF Indiana
Illinois and the other States Of the great Middle
West: for the cotton goods OF Georgia and New
England. for agricultural implements and machn
cry from Ohio Pennsylvania and other States. and
so on"
What do you think OF the future of the sugar
industry in the United Staes?' the correspondent
asked
We'll. my opinion on that subject is the same
that OF al other sugar producers WIN whDn
ers II the existing tariff can be preserved and
maintained for few years the United S!ates VIII
produce every pound OF sugar required Tor home
creased and the country In general Will derive In
measurable benefits from the growth or an IN
dustry which will become as National In It's scope
as any other agricultural industry within our
borders"
Respecting the effect upon the domestic sugar
industry of the excessive mportations or raw su-
gar by the refncrs In anticipation OF the new law
General Meyer expressed the OPT lion tfat II mShi
be so lasting or injurious as many persons had
feared. or course there would be n temporary loss
of revenue that and other accounts but he
thought this would be made good within the
next year. business revived
General Meyer IS largely interested In cotton plan
tations well in sugar plantations, but II he
thought that the imposition Of small duties oh cot
ton ties and cotton bagginG would be runous to the
cot on growing industry he did mention II. As
a matter of fact. he does not think so.