The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-24
IN THE SENATE.
Bill to Encourage Sugar Beet Growing
'IndefiniteIy Postponed

Bill to Encourage Sugar Beet Growing
'IndefniteIy Postponed"
The discussion of two bills yesterday oc-
cupied the Senate for the entire afternoon.
Both were set as special orders of business,
and were freely aired and explained to the
satisfaction of the entire Senate.
A message from the House advised the
Senate that Senator Binkley's bill. requir-
ing notaries public to append to each GER
tifcate of acknowledgment or other official
document the date of the expiration of their
commissions, had been returned to the SEN
ate because it had been reported by the
Senate without an enacting clause in it,.
Lieutenant Governor Haggard was isibly
annoyed when the report was read by the
House clerk, and announced that it was the
wish of the chair that more care should be
exercised by the engrossing clerks in guard
ing against errors.
The consideration Of Senator Agnew's bill
to encourage the cultivation of sugar beets
and the manufacture of beet sugar by the
payment Of a bounty on each pound of
sugar in this State was called up and SEN
ator Patton, who at once obtained recOgni-
ton from the chair, stated that it was the
intention of the Democrats present to keep
politics out of the discussion. He said the
Democrats felt that to pass the bill would
be "eighteen-carat class legislation, which
would make the rich richer and the poor
poorer" In the course of his argument lie
said that, were only one plant to be estab
lished in this State, and produce the amount
of sugar cultivated in the estimates sub
mitted in the BILL 1t would entail an eX-
penditure in the way of bounties of $685. 400
year, and in view of the probability that
several such plants would be established to
take advantage of the bounty, it would be
safe to assume that over So 500,0 would be
expended every year by the State, or over
three times the amount appropriated each
year for the support of all the penal and
benevolent institutions OF the State. SEN
atOr Gill. PopUlist, supported this view of
the matter, and advanced the opinion that
the bill tended to place burdensome tax
on the farmer in order to enrich the sugar
manufacturer, under the pretenSe that il
was bill TO foster an infant industry for
the benefit of the people. Senator Burns,
for the Republican side, said he did not rep
resent any interest in the matter, but felt
that the question was broad enough to be
worth the serious consideration of the peo-
pie of the State. Quoting from statistics,
ne said that $4,000 go pounds of sugar are
used in Indiana each year, or seventy
pounds for each inhabitant This costs the
people S. coo a year. There are 2 500, 900
tons used in the United States each year, of
which, last year, 100000 tons came from
Cuba $500 from Porto Rico, 100000 from
the Philippines, 200O09 from Hawaii and
several hundred thousands from Germany.
PEOPLE WHO WOULD BENEFIT.
Senator Drummond intimated that the
only people in this State who were to be
benefited by the bounty were the members
of the Kankakee Valley Sugar Association.
Senator Hubbell said he was opposed to the
| bill because it sought to set aside the law
of supply and demand and tended TO create
an artificial demand which could not last
and would not bring permanent prosperity
to the State.
Senator Wood said. in support of the bill,
that he considered the people of New York
and Michigan to be pretty good business
men" and that, as both had passed statutes
| giving a sugar bounty of / cent "a pound
oranges of both States, he was inclined To
| think there was some merit in the plan. He
called attention TO the fact that the land
| on which it is proposed 10 cultivate the
sugar beets is at present worth in most
cases only on an average 81 an acre, while
| ton of beets, the land values would increase
| Immediately and the taxes cOrrespondingly
| so that in "A few years the State would re-
ceiVe back in the shape of taxes more than
| il would expend in bOuntfes. Senator Win
| field I'm his talk against the bill, questioned
| the right of the State TO obligate itself Ia
pay any bounties.
| Senator Gochenour read a petition from
many of his own constituents asking for the
| passage OF the bill and predicted that If the
| bill should be killed many of the senators
would hear from their constituents on the
/ subject" The idea that according to the
| proportion of success the enterprise meets
/ with, the people viii be able 10 pay the